Ernst Moro was an Austrian pediatrician whose insights into childhood development, nutrition, and disease prevention placed him among the most influential figures in early 20th-century medicine. Born on December 8, 1874, in Laibach (today Ljubljana, Slovenia), which at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Moro pursued medicine at the University of Graz, earning his doctorate in 1901.
After graduation, he worked under some of the great medical teachers of his era, including Theodor Escherich, the discoverer of Escherichia coli. This mentorship sparked his lifelong interest in pediatric medicine and infectious disease. In 1906, Moro became a professor of pediatrics at the University of Heidelberg, where he directed the pediatric clinic. His clinical skill and ability to connect physiological observations with practical solutions quickly earned him recognition.
Key Contributions to Pediatrics
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Moro Reflex (Startle Reflex)
Moro’s name is most often remembered through the Moro reflex, which he described in 1918. This involuntary reaction in newborns, characterized by the rapid extension and retraction of the arms when startled or when support is suddenly lost, became a fundamental neurological test in assessing infant development. To this day, pediatricians use it as a marker of healthy motor and nervous system function. -
Moro’s Acidophilus Milk
In an era before antibiotics, infant diarrhea was a leading cause of death. Moro experimented with dietary interventions and created a type of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus acidophilus. This probiotic drink helped normalize intestinal flora and provided an early medical example of using beneficial bacteria to counter disease. -
Moro’s Carrot Soup
Perhaps his most remarkable innovation came during World War I, when food shortages and poor hygiene led to waves of deadly diarrhea among infants. Moro developed a simple recipe of pureed carrots boiled for a long time in water, producing compounds called oligosaccharides. These acted in the gut to prevent harmful bacteria from attaching to the intestinal wall. Hospitals that adopted Moro’s carrot soup saw dramatic reductions in infant mortality. Remarkably, modern research has confirmed the antimicrobial effects of his preparation, showing that it was not merely supportive care but a scientifically sound treatment. -
Other Research Areas
Moro also made contributions to the understanding of childhood eczema, tuberculosis, and digestive disorders. His observations helped shape early dietary guidelines for infants and children, emphasizing nutrition as a central pillar of pediatric health.
Modern Scientific Validation of Moro’s Carrot Soup
When Ernst Moro first introduced his carrot soup during World War I, his explanation was based on clinical results rather than molecular science. He observed that infants with life-threatening diarrhea, particularly from bacterial infections, recovered more quickly when given his long-cooked carrot soup. Mortality rates fell sharply in hospitals that used it. For decades, the medical community largely considered it a useful but “old-fashioned” remedy, overshadowed by antibiotics after their introduction in the mid-20th century.
However, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, scientists revisited Moro’s preparation with modern microbiology and biochemistry. What they discovered confirmed that his intuition had been correct.
1. The Role of Oligogalacturonic Acids
Carrots are rich in pectin, a complex carbohydrate. When carrots are boiled for a long time, their pectin breaks down into oligogalacturonic acids, short-chain sugar molecules. These compounds turned out to be the key to Moro’s soup.
Modern experiments showed that these oligosaccharides mimic the binding sites on intestinal cells. Pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella normally attach to the lining of the gut using specific molecular receptors. By flooding the intestines with these carrot-derived molecules, the bacteria are “tricked” into binding to them instead of to the intestinal wall. As a result, the pathogens are flushed out of the body before they can release toxins or cause severe infection.
This mechanism is now known as a decoy effect, and it is a principle that modern medicine explores in anti-infective therapy. Moro’s carrot soup was an early, naturally occurring example of this concept in action.
2. Anti-Diarrheal Effect Comparable to Modern Treatments
Clinical studies conducted in the 2000s compared children treated with oral rehydration therapy (ORS) alone versus those treated with ORS plus carrot soup. Results indicated that the combination shortened the duration of diarrhea, reduced bacterial load, and promoted faster recovery.
While antibiotics are necessary for severe bacterial infections, overuse of antibiotics has created widespread antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In this context, Moro’s approach is gaining new attention because it does not kill bacteria directly (and therefore does not encourage resistance), but instead prevents bacterial adhesion, a strategy seen as safer and more sustainable.
3. Nutritional and Gut Microbiome Benefits
Beyond the anti-adhesive effect, the soup is nutritious, easy to digest, and rich in natural sugars and electrolytes. It provides hydration and gentle nourishment for infants whose digestion is compromised. Modern microbiome studies also suggest that carrot-derived compounds support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, further protecting children from recurrent infections.
Relevance Today
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Developing Countries: In parts of the world where infant diarrhea remains a major cause of death, Moro’s carrot soup is once again being promoted as a low-cost, accessible, and effective treatment alongside oral rehydration therapy.
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Antibiotic Resistance: With global concerns about antibiotic overuse, Moro’s “decoy” method offers inspiration for new non-antibiotic therapies.
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Functional Foods & Probiotics: His work anticipated the modern movement toward functional nutrition and microbiome-focused medicine — by nearly a century.
Ernst Moro’s Carrot Soup (Original Medical Recipe)
This was not just a food but a carefully prepared therapeutic remedy for infant diarrhea. Moro emphasized precision in both preparation and portioning.
Ingredients
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500 g (about 1 lb) fresh carrots
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1 liter (about 4¼ cups) water
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3 g table salt (about ½ teaspoon)
(That’s it — just carrots, water, and a pinch of salt.)
Despite his groundbreaking discoveries, Ernst Moro lived a modest and largely uncelebrated life. His carrot soup alone saved thousands of children, and the reflex that bears his name is still used by pediatricians worldwide, yet he never received the recognition or honors one might expect for such contributions. After leaving his university post in Heidelberg, he returned to Austria and later settled into private pediatric practice, continuing to care for children with the same dedication but without the institutional support or prestige of his earlier career. Ernst Moro remained a quiet, diligent physician until his death in 1951 at the age of 74, his legacy more fully appreciated only decades later as modern science confirmed the brilliance of his insights.
