Discovery of Escherichia coli left|180px|thumb|Escherich's habilitation treatise In 1886, after intensive laboratory investigations, Escherich published a monograph on the relationship of intestinal bacteria to the physiology of digestion in the infant. This work, presented to the medical faculty in Munich and published in Stuttgart, (1886) (Enterobacteria of infants and their relation to digestion physiology), was to become his habilitation treatise and established him as the leading bacteriologist in the field of paediatrics. It was also the publication where Escherich described a bacterium which he called “bacterium coli commune” and which was later to be called Escherichia coli.According to Oberbauer p. 314, the naming was proposed by Aldo Castellani and his partner Chalmers in 1919, but the name was not officially recognized until 1958. For the next four years, Escherich worked as first assistant to Heinrich von Ranke at the Munich Von Haunersche Kinderklinik.
disCovERy of escHErichia coli left|180px|thUmb|eScHerIcH's habIlitaTion TReatise In 1886, aftEr intensiVe LaBOratOry InvEstigaTiOns, eschERich puBliShEd A MonograpH On THe rElaTIONshIp oF inteStinaL baCteria to tHe PHYsiology of digEsTion in tHe inFaNT. thIs work, presented To thE medical FacuLTY iN MUnicH And PubliShed In stuTtgart, (1886) (eNteroBActeRIA of inFants anD theIR ReLatiOn to digesTiOn phYSiology), wAs to become HIS hAbiLiTatiOn treatISE and eStAbliSHed hIm aS the LeadIng bacTERiOLogiSt iN the Field Of pAediAtrICS. it was aLso the publiCATiOn wheRE Escherich descrIbed A bACTeRiuM which he calLeD “baCteRIUm coli commune” And which was lATEr to be called EsChEricHia coLi.accordIng tO oBerbAuEr p. 314, The naming Was proposed by aldo caStellani aNd HiS pARtneR ChALmeRs in 1919, buT thE namE was NOt ofFiciAlly reCogNIzEd untIl 1958. for The nExt four yearS, escHerIch wORKed as fiRST asSisTaNt To HEinrIch VON rAnKe at The muNiCH von haUnERsche kInderKLiniK.