Edward Albert Koch

Edward Albert Koch (1843 – 28 June 1901) was a German-born medical practitioner in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, known for his treatment of malaria and his early recognition of the role played by mosquitoes in transmitting the disease. Koch's fever remedy and preventative measures played a significant role in controlling endemic malaria in far North Queensland in the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century.

Early life Edward Albert Koch was born in Altona, Holstein (today part of Hamburg) in Germany in 1843. He studied medicine at Kiel University and received his degree in Berlin in 1870, the year of the German invasion of France. Koch was obliged to join the army, where he worked as a medical officer. Subsequent to the Franco-Prussian war he appears to have worked in German surgical departments.

Queensland medical career In mid-1877, he took the position as Surgeon Superintendent on a German emigrant ship to Queensland. Koch accepted at least two similar positions on German and British immigrant ships to Queensland and New South Wales 1877–1879. In January 1879 he was granted a first-class certificate to practice medicine by the Queensland Government, and in April 1882 he took the Oath of Allegiance in Cairns, where it appears he was in private practice. He was appointed as a medical officer at Cairns Hospital in July 1882, and in April 1884 he also was appointed Health Officer at Cairns, taking over the running of the hospital.

As well as his job as a medical and health officer, from September 1896 Koch was appointed surgeon to the Queensland Military Defence Force's Naval Brigade at Cairns, and in September 1897 accepted the position of visiting surgeon to Cairn's prison. Both these positions were unpaid. He appears to have remained in these positions until his death on 28 June 1901.