Red Cross begins National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the U.S. military
On Feb. 4, 1941, the Red Cross began a National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the…
Danish microbiologist A Jost coined the term genetic engineering
In 1941, Danish microbiologist A. Jost coined the term genetic engineering in a lecture on sexual reproduction in…
Washington University – St Louis received the first cyclotron installed at a US academic medical center
In 1941, Washington University ﾖ St. Louis received the first cyclotron installed at a U.S. academic medical center.
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Oncology | Radiology | Therapeutics
Texas State Cancer Hospital (MD Anderson) was created by Texas Legislature
In 1941, Texas State Cancer Hospital, now known as the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was…
The new Medical College of Virginia Hospital (MCV West Hospital) opened to national acclaim
In 1941, the Medical College of Virginia Hospital (MCV West Hospital) opened to national acclaim. The largest donation…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | NIH | Oncology | Rare Disease | Therapeutics
The U.S. government established a national blood collection program
In 1940, the U.S. government established a national blood collection program. That same year the National Research Council…
Edwin Cohn developed cold ethanol fractionation
In 1940, Edwin Cohn, a professor of biological chemistry at Harvard Medical School, developed cold ethanol fractionation, the…
American Oswald Avery isolated pure DNA for the first time, what he called the transforming factor
In 1940, American Oswald Avery precipitates a pure sample of what he calls the transforming factor; he has…
Wendell Johnson at the University of Iowa pioneered fields of speech pathology and audiology
In 1940, Wendell Johnson at the University of Iowa pioneers the fields of speech pathology and audiology. Throughout…
The first metallic hip replacement surgery was performed
On Sept. 28, 1940, Dr. Austin T. Moore, an American surgeon at Johns Hopkins hospital, and Harold Ray…
The influenza B virus was isolated
In 1940, Thomas Francis, Jr, MD isolated the influenza B virus from a child in 1940. Francis helped…
The McArdle Laboratory was founded in Madison
In 1940, the McArdle Memorial Laboratory was founded in Madison. McArdle Lab was one of the first basic…
Biochemist and bacteriologist Ruby Hirose was recognized by the American Chemical Society for accomplishments in chemistry
In 1940, biochemist and bacteriologist Ruby Hirose was recognized by the American Chemical Society for accomplishments in chemistry….
NIH scientists first identified type II cell of pulmonary alveolus as the cell of origin of the common alveologenic tumours of the lungs
In 1939, Hugh G. Grady and Harold L. Stewart first identified the type II cell of the pulmonary…
Agriculture | Biology | Diagnostics | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | NIH | Therapeutics | Vaccine
Herald R. Cox discovered that rickettsiae could be cultivated successfully in the yolk-sacs of chick embryos
On Dec. 23, 1938, Herald R. Cox published: Use of Yolk Sac of Developing Chick Embryo as Medium…
Mary Mallon, also known as Typhoid Mary, died in quarantine on North Brother Island near New York
On Nov. 11, 1938, Mary Mallon, also known as Typhoid Mary and the first person in the U.S.,…
The British Columbia Cancer Institute opened in Vancouver
On Nov. 5, 1938, the British Columbia Cancer Institute, BC Cancer’s first cancer treatment centre officially opened in…
Toxoplasma gondii was identified in humans
On May 23, 1938, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondi) was identified in humans gondii was identified in an infant…
President Roosevelt founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis and the March of Dimes to fight polio
On Jan. 3, 1938, President Roosevelt founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP) known today as the…
Gordon E. Davis and Herald R. Cox identified a new rickettsial disease, which they called Nine Mile Fever
In 1938, Gordon E. Davis and Herald R. Cox identified a new rickettsial disease, which they called Nine…
John Bozicevich developed immunological methods for the diagnosis of helminth parasitic infections
In 1938, John Bozicevich developed immunological methods for the diagnosis of helminth parasitic infections. Helminthiasis, also known as…
Murray J. Shear coined the term “cocarcinogen”
In 1938, Murray J. Shear from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reported that a basic fraction of creosote…
A smallscale test of formulated Bacillus thuringiensis for corn borer control began in Europe
In 1938, a small scale test of formulated Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for corn borer control begins in Europe….
The Medical College of Virginia opened a new laboratory and outpatient clinic (A. D. Williams Memorial Clinic)
In 1938, The Medical College of Virginia opened a new laboratory and outpatient clinic (A. D. Williams Memorial…
Rolla Neil Harger invented the the drunkometer
In 1938, Rolla Neil Harger of Indiana University School of Medicine collaborated with Robert Borkenstein of the Indiana…
U.S. Congress investigated the Elixir Sulfanilamide tragedy that poisoned more than 100 people
On Nov. 16, 1937, the U.S. Congress directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give a full…
Biology | Diagnostics | Life Science History | Medicine | NIH | Oncology | Therapeutics | U.S. Congress
President Franklin D Roosevelt signed the National Cancer Institute Act
On Aug. 5, 1937, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Act, P.L. 244, 75th Congress, was signed by President…
Perkin-Elmer was founded
On Apr. 19, 1937, Perkin-Elmer was founded by Richard Perkin, a banker and Charles Elmer, a court reporter…
The world’s first blood bank opened at Cook County Hospital in Chicago
On Mar. 15, 1937, the world’s first blood bank was opened at Cook County Hospital in Chicago by…
Maurice C. Hall developed a technique, known as the “NIH swab,” to diagnose enterobiasis
In 1937, Maurice C. Hall developed a technique, known as the “NIH swab,” to diagnose enterobiasis; it is…