Paul Ehrlich

Medicine German 1854 – 1915 392 quotes

Father of chemotherapy and immunology

Quotes by Paul Ehrlich

Our individual choices, when aggregated, have global consequences.

Various interviews and writings

The universe is far more complex and mysterious than we can ever fully comprehend.

Various interviews and writings

We must learn to shoot microbes with magic bullets.

Popularized concept of chemotherapy

The body is a chemical factory, and disease is a chemical problem.

General philosophy of chemotherapy

The ideal drug is one that acts only on the parasite and not on the host.

Principle of selective toxicity

Nature is not always right; we must improve upon it.

Justification for synthetic drug development

There are no specific diseases, only specific reactions of the body to specific causes.

Challenging traditional disease classification

The cell is the ultimate unit of life, and its chemistry is the key to understanding health and disease.

Emphasis on cellular biology

The future of medicine lies in the laboratory, not just at the bedside.

Advocacy for experimental medicine

We must not be afraid to challenge established dogmas.

Scientific philosophy

The human body is a complex chemical machine, and we must understand its workings to repair it.

Mechanistic view of biology

The goal of medicine is not merely to treat symptoms, but to cure the underlying cause.

Therapeutic philosophy

Science is a continuous process of questioning and discovery.

Nature of scientific inquiry

The greatest discoveries often come from unexpected places.

Serendipity in science

We are still in the infancy of understanding the complexities of life.

Humility in scientific pursuit

The immune system is a marvel of biological engineering.

Admiration for the immune system

Disease is a battle between the host and the parasite, and we must arm the host.

Metaphor for infectious disease

The development of new drugs is a long and arduous process, but it is essential for human health.

Challenges of drug discovery

We must not be content with merely alleviating suffering; we must strive for complete eradication of disease.

Ambitious goals for medicine

The scientific method is our most powerful tool for understanding the world.

Value of scientific methodology