Jakob von Heine

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Jakob von Heine

1800-1879

German scientist and physician who was the first to clearly describe poliomyelitis (commonly known as polio), an infectious viral disease of the central nervous system. In a book published in Germany in 1840, Heine correctly asserted that polio was a contagious disease (contracted by mouth) and articulated a treatment regimen used well into the twentieth century.

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