Ernst Moro

Ernst Moro studied in Graz, where he received his doctorate in 1899, and then worked as assistant under Theodor Escherich (1857-1911) in the children’s clinic in Vienna until 1902. He was habilitated for paediatrics in Munich in 1906, becoming professor extraordinary in Heidelberg in 1911, ordinarius in 1919.

Moro demonstrated that blood from children fed with breast milk had a stronger effect in killing bacteria than the blood from «bottle children, and he demonstrated the fast increase in the metabolism of starch during the first week of life.

Moro coined the terms «first trimester» and «biological spring», and he was the first to isolate Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is important in the intestine of the infant and in making sour milk products. He also introduced days of raw apples as well as a carrot soup in the treatment of diarrhoeic conditions in infants.

From 1935 Moro, for health reasons, was represented by others in his professorial duties and as head of the Heidelberg children's clinic. In 1936 he asked to be relieved of his position for health reasons. This may have had to do with the fact that his wife was Jewish, and that he was therefore certain to be fired.

• Ueber die nach Gram farbbaren Bacillen des Säuglingsstuhles.
  Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 1900, 13: 114-115. Isolation of Lactobacillus acidophilus.
• Über das Verhalten hämolytischer Serumstoffe beim gesunden und kranken Kind.
  Wiesbaden, 1908.
• Die Tuberkulose und Skrofulose.
  Handbuch der Kinderheilkunde. 4th edition; Leipzig, 1931.
• Ekzema infantum und Dermatitis seborrhoides. Berlin, 1932.
• Franz Hamburger (1874-1954) and Ernst Moro:
  Ueber die biologisch nachweisbaren Veränderungen des menschlichen Blutes nach den Seruminjektion.
  Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 1903, 16: 445-447.
  Serum sickness first described.