Hans Zinsser - Career

Career

After holding a series of academic medicine positions, Zinsser became an associate professor at Stanford University in 1910. In 1913, Zinsser moved to a position at his alma mater. Ten years later, he was hired away by Harvard Medical School, where he stayed—except for service in the US Army Medical Corps in World War I-- until his death.

Dr. Zinsser taught as an exchange professor or worked with the American Red Cross in France, Russia, Serbia and China, and was noted for his work in typhus and immunology. He became a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army and served overseas during World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and was also awarded another military citation for taking exceptional risks to minister to wounded soldiers while under direct enemy fire. He was awarded with the Order of St. Sava of Serbia and the Legion of Honour in France.

Zinsser's scientific work focused on bacteriology and immunology and he is greatly associated with Brill’s disease as well as typhus. He is known for his work in isolating the typhus bacterium and developing a protective vaccine. He wrote several books about biology and bacteria, notably Rats, Lice and History, a "biography" of typhus fever. Rats, Lice and History was republished in 2007 by Transaction Publishers. Zinsser had a strong influence on the work of Dr. Albert Coons, who developed the technique of immunohistochemistry.