Professor Barry Marshall
Meet Smart scientist Professor Barry Marshall who carried out an experiment on his own body to prove his theory about how stomach ulcers are caused.
Barry Marshall was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and gained his medical degree from the University of Western Australia in 1974. He is currently Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Western Australia.
The Quack
Whilst working at the Royal Perth Hospital with colleague Robin Warren, Marshall was dismayed at the amount of patients with stomach ulcers (sores on the inside of the stomach wall) who became so ill they had to have their stomachs removed or simply bled to death. At the time it was believed that stress or spicy food triggered the ulcers but the pair came up with an alternative hypothesis that claimed a bacteria called Heliobacter pylori as a cause. Their idea was ridiculed by members of the medical establishment who didn’t believe bacteria could live in the acidic environment of the stomach (or it was at least regarded with caution as it had yet to be scientifically proven.)
The Maverick
In 1984, after many failed attempts to infect piglets, Marshall himself drank a Petri dish that contained the bacteria H. pylori. He expected to develop an ulcer years later. He was however surprised that only a few days later he started experiencing symptoms such as bad breath, nausea and vomiting. On day 8 he had an endoscopy where a small camera was placed into his stomach. The images showed a high level of inflammation and the bacteria H .pylori was found. Marshall then started a course of antibiotics which cleared up the infection and stopped his symptoms.
The Nobel Laureate
The research undertaken by Barry Marshall and his collaborator Robin Warren changed the prospects of many people diagnosed with stomach ulcers and today the basic treatment involves taking antibiotics, drugs that kill bacteria or stop their growth. Their work was celebrated in 2005 when they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Related content
For lots more information on bacteria in digestion see our Smart Video (you are your microbes) and Smart facts: Bacteria in the Human Digestive System