Robert Gross performed the first successful corrective heart surgery for children
On Aug. 26, 1938, Robert Gross then Chief Resident in Surgery at Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, performed…
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…
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…
Senator Homer T. Bone introduced a bill “to control and prevent the spread of the disease of cancer”
On Apr. 2, 1937, Senator Homer T. Bone of Washington introduced S. 2067, “Authorizing the Surgeon General of…
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…
NIH scientists devised a Decayed Missing Filled Index guide for studies and surveys of children’s dental status
In 1937, Henry Klein, Carroll E. Palmer, John W. Knutson devised a Decayed Missing Filled (DMF) Index guide…
Medical College of South Carolina researchers published artucle that linked brown lung disease (asbestosis) with cancer
In May 1935, Kenneth Lynch and William Atmar Smith from the Medical College of South Carolina published an…
The hazardous effects of radium dial painting were published
In 1933, Louis Schwartz, F.C. Makepeace, and H. Trendley Dean published findings showing the hazardous effects of radium…
Tompkins-McCaw Library at the Medical College of Virginia opened
In 1932, Tompkins-McCaw Library at the Medical College of Virginia opened. Called the “college library” when the building…
The electron microscope was invented
In 1931, the electron microscope was invented by Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska at the Berlin Technische Hochschule….
Drs. H. Trendley Dean and Elias Elvove started work on the mystery of “mottled enamel” — later called fluorosis
In 1931, H. Trendley Dean and Elias Elvove started work on the mystery of “mottled enamel” — later…
scientists demonstrated Rocky Mountain spotted fever and endemic typhus was transmitted by rat fleas
In 1931, Rolla E. Dyer, Lucius F. Badger, and Adolph S. Rumreich demonstrated that Rocky Mountain spotted fever…
Biology | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | NIH | Therapeutics | U.S. Congress
The National Institute of Health was established by the Ransdell Act
In 1930, the Ransdell Act changed the name of the Hygienic Laboratory to National Institute (singular) of Health…
The name of the Food, Drug, and Insecticide Administration was shortened to Food and Drug Administration
In 1930, the name of the Food, Drug, and Insecticide Administration was shortened to Food and Drug Administration…
The Hygienic Laboratory changed its name to the National Institute (singular) of Health
In 1930, the Hygienic Laboratory changed its name to the National Institute (singular) of Health and authorized the…
The first iron lung was used to treat polio patients
On Oct. 12, 1928, the first iron lung was used at Boston Children’s Hospital by Harvard Medical School…
Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | NIH | Non-Profit Research | Oncology | Radiology | Therapeutics | U.S. Congress
The ‘sword symbol’ of the American Society for the Control of Cancer was adopted
In 1928, the sword symbol of the Americal Cancer Society (ASCC) came from a 1928 nationwide poster contest…
Dr. Eaton MacKay was invited from Stanford to become the first director of research at the Scripps Metabolic Clinic
In 1928, Dr. Eaton MacKay was invited from Stanford University to become the first director of research at…
The University of Oregon Medical School took over operation of Doernbecher
In 1928, The University of Oregon Medical School takes over operation of Doernbecher Hospital. Frank Doernbecher was a…
Senator Matthew Neely proposed legislation offering a $5 million reward for a cancer cure discovery
On Feb. 4, 1927, a decade before the National Cancer Institute (NCI) was established, Senator Matthew Neely (D)…
Plan for Doernbecher Memorial Hospital for Children was announced
On Oct. 14, 1923, plans were announced for Doernbecher Memorial Hospital for Children. Frank S. Doernbecher was a…
Biology | Disease | Environmental | EPA | FDA | Life Science History | Neurology | U.S. Congress
William Mansfield Clark alerted the public to the dangers of tetraethyl lead in gasoline
In 1923, William Mansfield Clark from the U.S. Department of Agriculture alerted the public to the dangers of…
Frederick Banting and Charles Best administered insulin from the pancreas’ of dogs proving insulin’s efficacy in treating human diabetes
In 1921, Frederick Banting and Charles Best who extracted the hormone insulin from the pancreas’ of dogs in…
Dr. Albert C. Broders, a surgical pathologist at the Mayo Clinic, published a description of a system for grading cancer on a numerical basis
In 1920, Dr. Albert C. Broders, a surgical pathologist at the Mayo Clinic, published a description of a…
Tretiakoff first used the term ‘corps de Lewy’ (Lewy bodies)
In 1919, Konstantin Tretiakoff first used the term ‘corps de Lewy’ (Lewy bodies) and reported the presence of…
Louisville Health Officer Baker implemented another influenza closure order for the city
On Dec. 12, 1918, following a second spike in influenza cases especially among schoolchildren, Louisville Health Officer Dr….
Boston’s influenza closure ordered were removed
On Oct. 19, 1918, Boston’s influenza closure ordered were removed, allowing public spaces to reopen.
Chicago health officials noted a spike in the number of deaths due to acute respiratory disease due influenza pandemic
On Sept. 21, 1918, between the start of Chicago’s epidemic and the removal of restrictions on Nov. 16,…
The Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company donated 20-acres to the University of Oregon Medical School
In 1917, Dr. Kenneth McKenzie the staff surgeon at Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company persuaded the company to…
Polio epidemic spread throughout New York killing more than 2,300 mostly children
On Jun. 17, 1916, New York City experienced the first large epidemic of polio (poliomyletis), with over 9,000…