# Emil Theodor Kocher

_Surgeon, laureate of the 1909 Nobel Prize in Medicine (1841-1917)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/emil-theodor-kocher
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Emil Theodor Kocher (25 August 1841 – 27 July 1917) was a Swiss physician and medical researcher who received the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in the physiology, pathology and surgery of the thyroid. Among his many accomplishments are the introduction and promotion of aseptic surgery and scientific methods in surgery, specifically reducing the mortality of thyroidectomies below 1% in his operations.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 25 August 1841 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Bern ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P19))
- **Died:** 27 July 1917 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P570))
- **Place of death:** Bern ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Switzerland ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P27))
- **Occupation:** surgeon; university teacher; physiologist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P106))
- **Education:** University of Bern ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P69))
- **Awards:** Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478#P166))

## About

Kocher was the first Swiss citizen and first surgeon to ever receive a Nobel Prize in Medicine. He was considered a pioneer and leader in the field of surgery in his time.

## Questions

**When was Emil Theodor Kocher born?**  
Emil Theodor Kocher was born on 25 August 1841 in Bern.

**Where did Emil Theodor Kocher study?**  
Emil Theodor Kocher was educated at University of Bern.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Emil Theodor Kocher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Theodor_Kocher) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q115478](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115478) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Emil Theodor Kocher.jpg by User Magnus Manske on en.wikipedia ; Unknown photographer (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emil_Theodor_Kocher.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Emil Theodor Kocher, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Emil Theodor Kocher.jpg — User Magnus Manske on en.wikipedia ; Unknown photographer, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Emil Theodor Kocher". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/emil-theodor-kocher. Retrieved 5 November 2026.