Phage as an antimicrobial agent: d'Herelle's heretical theories and their role in the decline of phage prophylaxis in the West.

The present report describes the presentation given by medical historian Dottore Emiliano Fruciano at the Stanier/Oxford Hygiene Symposium, held in Oxford, England, on November 10, 2004. Dr Fruciano's lecture, entitled "The failure of d'Herelle's project to consolidate the value of phage in the prevention and prophylaxis of infectious pathologies", provided a historical synthesis of the events that led to the dismissal of the amazing discoveries of Félix d'Herelle. The present article chronicles the profound works of d'Herelle, from spectacular scientific, commercial and political successes to complete obscurity. The impact of social perspectives on the outcomes of critical scientific research is revealed in this poignant account.