Author/Editor		Zupanič-Slavec, Zvonka
Title		Marko Anton Plenciz (1705-1786) und die neue Theorie vom Kontagium
Translated title		Marko Anton Plenciz (1705-1786) and the new theory of contagium
Type		članek
Source		Wien Klin Wochenschr
Vol. and No.		Letnik 113, št. 13-14
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 543-8
Language		ger
Abstract		The theory on contagium developed by Marko Anton Pleciz in 1762 is perdeived with present day medical knowledge in a totally different way than it was seen by his contemporaries. In the middle of the 18th century, when Plenciz lived and worked in Vienna as a doctor, the notion prevailed that microbes generate spontaneously. Plenciz's theory of the specificity of contagium vivum explained the occurrence and spreading of infectious diseases in the way that it is today accepted as fact. At the time of its formulation it was truly epoch making. The prevalent theory of spontaneous generation hindered the development of the natural sciences for a century, until Pasteur eventually confirmed the validity of Plenzic's theory by his experiments. Plenciz extended his theory by applying it to all infectious agents of amn, animals and plants. He made a distinction between pathogenic and non-pathogenic contagia and explained the occurrence and spreading of various strains of the same type of contagenium, the development of immunity of latent infection and the carrier state. He expressed a firm demand for etiological teratment of contagious diseases and foretold the efficient use of chemotherapy which was introduced in the 20th century. The real value of Plenciz's theory was recognised only in the early 20th century. He must be recognized as o forerunned of modern microbiology.
Descriptors		HISTORY OF MEDICINE, 18TH CENT. PHYSICIANS COMMUNICABLE DISEASES CARRIER STATE BIOGRAPHY