title: On the discovery of Clostridium botulinum.
abstract: A description is given of a food intoxication in 1895 at Ellezelles, a village in Belgium. As a result 3 persons died within a few days and others became seriously ill. A thorough investigation by E. van Ermengem led to the discovery of Clostridium botulinum and botulinum toxin. About 75 years later a subtype of the toxin proved to be highly effective in the treatment of dystonias and is now widely used.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Neurosciences, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Devriese
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000266:history*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000266:history*; D004421:Dystonia / Q000266:history*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins