Medical milestones, landmark publications, and notable births and deaths associated with December 14.

Events

1895 – After playing at a funeral in Ellezelles, Belgium, 34 musicians shared a meal of cured ham at a local inn. Within 24 hours many developed diplopia, ptosis, dysphagia, paralysis, and respiratory distress and three young musicians died within a week. The outbreak was investigated by Belgian bacteriologist Émile van Ermengem (1851–1932) who isolated an anaerobic bacillus from the ham and victims’ organs. He named it Bacillus botulinum (now Clostridium botulinum), from botulus (“sausage”), because the clinical picture mirrored Wurstvergiftung, or “sausage poisoning” then notorious in southern Germany

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Births

1830 – Harald Hirschsprung (1830-1916), Danish pediatrician; described Hirschsprung disease (1886)

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Deaths

1865 – Wilhelm Frederick von Ludwig (1790-1865), German surgeon and obstetrician; described Ludwig angina (1836)

1878 – Pierre-Antoine-Ernest Bazin (1807-1878), French physician and dermatologist; Bazin disease [*Scrofulides érythémateuses, erythema induratum], Alibert-Bazin syndrome (1825, 1858), and Hydroa vacciniforme

1974 – Alexander (Alister) Burns Wallace (1906–1974), Scottish plastic surgeon; described Wallace Rules of Nine (1951)

2005 – W. Robert Harris (1922-2005), Canadian Orthopaedic Surgeon; described Salter-Harris Classification (1963)

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Further reading

• Maki R. Origin of the name: Clostridium botulinum. Antimicrobe
• Torrens JK. Clostidium botulinum was named because of association with “sausage poisoning.” BMJ 1998; 316:151.
• Devriese PP. On the discovery of Clostridium botulinum. J Hist Neurosci. 1999 Apr;8(1):43-50