116 Years Ago, Tonight -- The First Nobel Prizes Were Awarded, In Sweden...

The Nobel Prizes are once again being awarded at a ceremony in Sweden. . . . [My personal favorite of this year's batch is going to Kip Thorne, and two others -- for physically detecting Einsteinian gravity waves, via monster facilities Dr. Thorne conceived of in 1977, and others built in the ensuing dacades -- in Louisiana, and Washington State.]

But this early snowy Sunday dawn, I write to remind us of the very first Nobel. It was awarded 116 years ago, tonight -- to Emil Adolph Von Behring (though other contemporaries also showed much of the same work), for essentially inventing the entire field of serum vaccination, of humans as a disease prevention protocol. He showed that the concept worked for diptheria. . . and one of his godsons was studying with Madame Marie Curie at the time. Here's a bit, from the Nobel website:

. . . .In 1900, Emil von Behring introduced serum from immune horses into human hosts as a method to cure and prevent diphtheria. . . .

Emil von Behring and other researchers showed that by means of blood plasma, or serum, antibodies could be transferred from one person or animal to another person, who also then became immune. . . .

Putting aside the later appropriation (long after his death) of his legacy -- by the Nazis in 1940, it is only right to remark that his life's works saved hundreds of millions of human lives. Onward, as ever -- with a sweet little one now snoozing peacefully, at my side. . . . soon it will be time for oatmeal, orange juice and apple-sauce. And lots of books. letters and blocks -- smile. Maybe even some finger painting. . . . inspire a discovering mind. . . right?

नमस्ते