The German doctor Theodor Bilharz arrived in Cairo in 1850. One year later, he discovered that many Egyptians were infected with unknown disease that exhausted their strength. He continued his research to reach its causes. In January 28, 1851, while he was anatomizing some of the Egyptians bodies, he discovered one centimeter absorber-type worm. He found it in the blood, liver, bladder and elsewhere in the body in 1851; therefore that worm has been later named Bilharzia Schistosoma) after his name.

He continued working in Egypt until he became senior doctor in many hospitals in Cairo. As well, he also gave lectures at School of Medicine in Cairo and became a professor of anatomy. He liked residence in Egypt, communicated with Egypt and the Egyptians and mastered Egyptian dialect in addition to his keen interest in studying the Egyptian Antiquities and Islamic Studies. While he was escorting Prince Herzog Ernst von Coburg Gotha during his visit to Egypt and Abyssinia, Bilharz was infected with typhus from one of the patients, he was treating in Abyssinia. One week later, he died in Cairo on May 9, 1862 when he was 38 years old. Egyptians have immortalized his memory by naming an institute after him. His name thus lives on in the memory of Egyptians.