Emil Theodor Kocher (25 August 1841 – 27 July 1917) was a Swiss physician and medical researcher who received the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in the physiology, pathology and surgery of the thyroid. with his dissertation about Behandlung der croupösen Pneumonie mit Veratrum-Präparaten (literal English translation: The treatment of croupous pneumonia with Veratrum preparations.) under professor Biermer with the predicate summa cum laude unamimiter. Kocher was hoping to get his position, but at the time it was customary to appoint German professors to positions at Swiss universities. Accordingly, the faculty suggested Franz König before Kocher to follow Lücke. However, the students and assistants as well as many doctors preferred Kocher and started a petition to the Bernese government to choose Kocher. Also the press was in favor of Kocher and several famous foreign surgeons, such as Langenbeck from Berlin and Billroth from Vienna, wrote letters in support of Kocher. Under this public pressure, the Bernese government (Regierungsrat) chose Kocher as the successor of Lücke as Ordinary Professor of Surgery and Director of the University Surgical Clinic at the Inselspital on 16 March 1872, despite a different proposal by the faculty. <!-- see talk page, section Name_and_person_info_of_his_wife --> (1841–1921) She was the daughter of Johannes Witschi, who was a merchant,), was published through six editions and translated into many languages. wrote a 136-page monograph on Kocher's life that was extended again in 1981.

  • An asteroid (2087) Kocher also commemorates his name.
  • The prize for outstanding young researchers in any field at the University of Berne is named Theodor Kocher Prize. It is awarded yearly since 1915.

Eponyms

  • Kocher's forceps – a surgical instrument with serrated blades and interlocking teeth at the tips used to control bleeding
  • Kocher's point – common entry point for an intraventricular catheter to drain cerebral spinal fluid from the cerebral ventricles
  • Kocher manoeuvre – a surgical manoeuvre to expose structures in the retroperitoneum
  • Kocher–Debre–Semelaigne syndrome – hypothyroidism in infancy or childhood characterised by lower extremity or generalized muscular hypertrophy, myxoedema, short stature and cretinism
  • Kocher's incision – used in cholecystectomy
  • Kocher's incision II – is used in thyroid surgery
  • President of the Bernese and Swiss physician societies

Further reading

  • including the Nobel Lecture on 11 December 1909 Concerning Pathological Manifestations in Low-Grade Thyroid Diseases
  • Theodor Kocher Institute of the University of Bern

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  • Emil Theodor Kocher at nobelmedicine.co.uk - Site is dead w/o archive in the Internet archive

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  • Milestones in European Thyroidology (MET). Theodor Kocher (1841–1917)