在瘟疫传播的高峰期,每天有5000人到10000人染病死亡,总死亡人数在20万人以上,几乎摧毁了君士坦丁堡,并从那里传播到西欧,此后又在地中海地区飘掠肆虐两个世纪之久。人们把这次起源于公元542年的鼠疫称为“查士丁尼鼠疫”(Plague of Justinian),它的流行使欧洲南部1/5的人口丧命,它以后五、六十年间里又有几起流行,估计总死亡人数达1亿人。
1926年,他将自己的疾病资料整理出版:《A Treatise on Pneumonic Plague》(Geneva: League of Nations, Health Organization, 1926,肺鼠疫论述)。这部480页的鼠疫理论专著,正式创立了“肺鼠疫”学说,被誉为“鼠疫研究的里程碑”
“The Old China, to which the author had devoted the best part of his life, from the later days of the Manchu Dynasty through the formative years of the Chinese Republic until the collapse of the Kuomintang regime, is still fresh in the minds of many, and it is hoped that the ascendency of the new Chines People’s Government may result in the continued happiness and prospersity of that great country, which in the course of its 4000-5000 years of history has seen so many triumphs and vicissitudes before achieving its present status in this everchanging world.”
Wu Lien-Teh
诺贝尔奖规定,获得提名但未获奖的科学家只有在颁奖50年后才能解密。
在2007年,诺贝尔官方公布了1901-1951年的所有获得提名的科学家。
在生理和医学奖中,50年来,只有一位中国人的名字出现在这份名单中。
他获得提名的理由是“Work on Pneumonic Plague and especially the discovery of the role played by the Tarbagan in its transmission”
1935年,诺贝尔生理和医学奖提名:伍连德。