Robert Koch

The microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything.

I have often been asked why I did not become a surgeon. My answer is always the same: I prefer to kill my patients slowly, with scientific precision.

It is not enough to discover a germ; one must also discover a way to get rid of it.

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.

One must be careful not to confuse a discovery with a solution.

My work is not to cure the sick, but to prevent them from getting sick in the first place. A much more satisfying endeavor, wouldn't you agree?

The most dangerous bacteria are those that you cannot see.

I have no doubt that the future of medicine lies in the microscope, not in the apothecary's shop.

To truly understand a disease, you must first become intimately acquainted with its cause.

Some people believe that the earth is flat. Others believe that diseases are caused by bad air. Both are equally misguided.

The only thing more difficult than finding a new microbe is convincing others that you have found it.

I have spent my life chasing invisible enemies. A rather peculiar profession, wouldn't you say?

The more I learn about bacteria, the less I trust my own hands.

It is a curious thing, this human tendency to resist the obvious.

My laboratory is my kingdom, and the microbes are my subjects. Though, I admit, they are rather unruly subjects.

The greatest triumphs in science are often met with the greatest skepticism.

One cannot simply wish a disease away. One must understand it, and then conquer it.

I have no patience for theories that cannot be proven under the microscope.

The world is full of mysteries, but the smallest ones are often the most deadly.

They say cleanliness is next to godliness. I say cleanliness is next to microbe-free.