Léon Charles Albert Calmette

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Léon Charles Albert Calmette

1863-1933

French physician who is best known for establishing the live, attenuated strain of the tubercle bacillus that was used as a vaccine against tuberculosis. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) was originally produced by Calmette and Camille Guérin in 1906. Since the 1920s BCG has been used as a vaccine against tuberculosis in children. Calmette also conducted studies of venoms, immunized animals in order to create therapeutic serums, and investigated vaccines for bubonic plague and water purification.