Theobald Smith

Theobald Smith was born in New York, U.S.A. in July 1934. He was a pioneer in the fields of epidemiology, bacteriology, and pathology. Much of his work focused on combating a wide range of animal diseases, particularly bovine ailments such as pneumonia, cattle fever, and tick-borne diseases, within the context of the animal industry. While teaching at Columbian University in Washington, D.C., where he established the school’s Department of Bacteriology, Smith also researched water sanitation, particularly focusing on the Hudson River and its tributaries. One of Smith’s contributions, which later proved to be inaccurate, was the idea that a delicate equilibrium between hosts and pathogens could lead to a benign relationship over time. Nonetheless, his overall contributions to the study of animal diseases were internationally significant. He died in December 1934 in New York City.