Bernhard Lauritz Frederik Bang (7 June 1848 – 22 June 1932), was a Danish

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...

. He discovered

Brucella abortus ''Brucella abortus'' is a Gram-negative bacterium in the family Brucellaceae and is one of the causative agents of brucellosis. The rod-shaped pathogen is classified under the domain Bacteria. The prokaryotic ''B. abortus'' is non-spore-forming, ...

in 1897, which came to be known as ''Bang's bacillus''. Bang's bacillus was the cause of the contagious ''Bang's disease'' (now known as

Brucellosis Brucellosis is a zoonosis spread primarily via ingestion of raw milk, unpasteurized milk from infected animals. It is also known as undulant fever, Malta fever, and Mediterranean fever. The bacteria causing this disease, ''Brucella'', are small ...

) which can cause pregnant cattle to abort, and causes undulant fever in humans.

Early life and education

Bang was born on 7 June 1848 in

Sorø Sorø () is a town in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in east Denmark with a population of 8,433 (2025).

, the son of school teacher at

Sorø Academy Sorø Academy ( Danish: ''Sorø Akademi'') is a boarding school and gymnasium located in the small town of Sorø, Denmark. It traces its history back to the 12th century when Bishop Absalon founded a monastery at the site, which was confiscated by ...

and later titular professor Jacob Henrik Bang (1809–99) and Laura Louise Marie Josephine Moth (1814–91). He graduated from Sorø Academy in 1865 and then enrolled at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...

where he studied medicine. He became a

Master of Medicine Master of Medicine (MMed, MM) is a postgraduate professional clinical degree awarded by medical schools to physicians following a period of instruction, supervised clinical rotations, and examination. As of May 2009, the following universities ...

in 1872 and then continued his studies at the

Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (, abbr. KVL, , abbr. RVA) was a veterinary and agricultural science university in Denmark. It was founded in 1856 and operated until 2007, when it became a part of the University of Copenhagen. It ...

from where he qualified as a Veterinarian in 1873.

Career

Bang began to work at Almindelig hospital and

Copenhagen Municipal Hospital Copenhagen Municipal Hospital ( Danish: Københavns Kommunehospital) was a hospital that existed from 1863 until 1999 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Its buildings, located on Øster Farimagsgade, opposite Copenhagen Botanical Garden, now form part of th ...

while in the same time briefly practicing as a physician in

Nørrebro Nørrebro (, ) is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark. It is northwest of the city centre, beyond the location of the old Northern Gate (''Nørreport''), which, until dismantled in 1856, was near the current N ...

. He stayed five years at Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. Bang seemed to have abandoned the idea of pursuing a career in veterinary sciences, but after professor Harald Viggo Stockfleth's death, he was encouraged by director C.E. Fenger to apply for a position as teacher at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University. On 1 January 1880, he assumed a position as a teacher of surgery and leader of the ambulatory clinic. In July 1880, he was awarded his

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

for his doctoral thesis ''Iagttagelser og Studier over dødelig Embolie og Thrombose i Lungearterierne''. He later became the director of the college. Bang was a veterinary adviser to the Danish government. For his contributions to

veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, medical diagnosis, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all a ...

, he received an

honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

from the Veterinary College of Utrecht in 1921.

Legacy

Bang is known for his work on: *development of a control for

bovine tuberculosis Bovines (subfamily Bovinae) comprise a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large-sized ungulates, including cattle, bison, African buffalo, water buffalos, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes. The members of this group are classif ...

*research on

smallpox vaccination The smallpox vaccine is used to prevent smallpox infection caused by the variola virus. It is the first vaccine to have been developed against a contagious disease. In 1796, British physician Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with th ...

*research on animal bacillary disease

Personal life

Bang married Anna Elisabeth Caroline Klee (20 October 1844 - 3 November 1922), a daughter of civil servant Frederik Klee (1808–64) and Caroline F. S. M. N. Moth (1812–84), on 20 December 1874 in Sorø. He died on 22 June 1932 in

Frederiksberg Frederiksberg () is a part of the Capital Region of Denmark. It is an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the region of Copenhagen. It occupies an area of less tha ...

and is buried at

Solbjerg Park Cemetery Solbjerg Park Cemetery () Is a 19-hectare cemetery in Frederiksberg in the western outskirts of inner Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1865, it is one of three cemeteries in Frederiksberg Municipality Frederiksberg Kommune is a municipality ( D ...

. In the former grounds of the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, now the University of Copenhagen's North Campus, stands a bust of Bernhard Bang. It was created by

August Hassel August Christian Valdemar Hassel (9 February 1864 – 30 May 1942) was a Danish sculptor. Early life and education Hassel was born in Copenhagen, the son of captain and mechanic Johan Fridolin Hassel and Doris Henriette Eickhoff. He apprenticed ...

. Bernhard Bangs Allé, a side street to Dalgas Boulevard, is named after him.

References

*"Bang, Bernhard Lauritz Frederik." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 23 Nov. 200

*"Summary of articles published in Argos #20 (1999), the bulletin of the Dutch Veterinary History Society." 23 Nov. 200

* * * *

External links

Den Kgl. Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole (College of Veterinary and Agriculture)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bang, Bernhard Lauritz Frederik 1848 births 1932 deaths Danish veterinarians Danish scientists Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog People from Sorø Municipality