Who was Alexander Yersin and why is he honored with a street and museum in Nha Trang?
Based on 3 discussions · Last activity: 3 days ago
TL;DR
Alexandre Yersin was a Swiss-French doctor who discovered the plague bacterium in 1894; he lived in Nha Trang, founded the local Pasteur Institute, and treated locals for free, which is why Vietnamese still honor him today.
What the community said
Yersin was a Swiss-French doctor and scientist who discovered the plague-causing bacterium in 1894, later named Yersinia pestis after him.
3 days ago Yersinia pestis
After settling in Nha Trang, Yersin founded the local Pasteur Institute and treated residents for free, earning deep respect from the Vietnamese.
3 days ago Pasteur Institute, Nha Trang
Besides medicine, Yersin experimented with agriculture, growing rubber trees and cinchona (quinine source) in central Vietnam.
3 days ago rubber and cinchona trees
Yersin was among the first to propose using the cool Langbiang plateau for a mountain resort, which later became the city of Da Lat.
3 days ago Langbiang plateau / Da Lat
As per his wish, Yersin was buried near Nha Trang; today his grave, museum, and streets named after him can be found across Vietnam.
3 days ago Yersin's grave and museum, Nha Trang