French physiologists Charles Richet and Paul Portier discovered anaphylaxis in 1901 and 1902 while studying toxins from jellyfish and sea anemones during a scientific expedition aboard a research vessel provided by Prince Albert I of Monaco. Expecting that a prior small dose of the toxin would protect a dog against a second exposure, in the manner of a vaccine, they instead found that a previously sensitized dog reacted to a second, much smaller dose with a violent and often fatal shock reaction. Richet coined the term aphylaxis, meaning without protection, to describe the phenomenon, later adjusting it to anaphylaxis for ease of pronunciation, and presented the findings to the Societe de Biologie in Paris on February 15, 1902, a moment regarded as the founding of allergy research. Richet received the 1913 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery.
Facts
Discovery Year Discovery Date DiscovererCharles Richet and Paul Portier 2 Classification
Type/Classification Connections
Associated With
Food Allergy, Conditions The discovery of anaphylaxis as a distinct severe allergic reaction underlies the modern understanding of severe food allergy.
Sources
1. Paul Portier (Wikipedia)
Biography section, February 1902 presentation to the Societe de biologie
On 15 February 1902, Richet and Portier jointly presented their findings before the Societe de biologie in Paris.
entity description, Discovery of Anaphylaxis
French physiologists Charles Richet and Paul Portier discovered anaphylaxis in 1901 and 1902 while studying toxins from jellyfish and sea anemones during a scientific expedition aboard a research vessel provided by Prince Albert I of Monaco.
View the Source2. Wikipedia: Anaphylaxis
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, discovery attribution
However, the phenomenon was discovered by two French physiologists Charles Richet and Paul Portier.
History section, 1902 laboratory findings
In 1902, they repeated the injections in their laboratory and found that dogs normally tolerated the toxin at the first injection, but on re-exposure, three weeks later with the same dose, they always developed fatal shock.
View the Source Frequently Asked Questions
How was anaphylaxis discovered?
Researchers expecting protection from a small dose instead found a sensitized dog suffered violent shock on re-exposure.
Charles Richet and Paul Portier discovered anaphylaxis in 1901 and 1902 while studying toxins from jellyfish and sea anemones during an expedition aboard a research vessel provided by Prince Albert I of Monaco. They expected a prior small dose to protect a dog against a second exposure, as a vaccine would. Instead a previously sensitized dog reacted to a much smaller second dose with a violent and often fatal shock reaction.
Where does the word anaphylaxis come from?
Richet coined aphylaxis, meaning without protection, then changed it to anaphylaxis.
Richet coined the term aphylaxis, meaning without protection, to describe the phenomenon, and later adjusted it to anaphylaxis for ease of pronunciation. He presented the findings to the Societe de Biologie in Paris on February 15, 1902, a moment regarded as the founding of allergy research, and received the 1913 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery.
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