President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the first six buildings of NIH
On Oct. 31, 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the first six buildings of the NIH. During World War…
Karl Habel produced an improved, killed rabies vaccine that eliminated foreign brain tissue caused paralysis
On Sept. 6, 1940, Karl Habel produced an improved, killed rabies vaccine that eliminated foreign brain tissue that…
The first issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute was published
On Aug. 1, 1940, the first issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) was published….
Charles Armstrong adapted the Lansing strain of poliomyelitis for polio studies
On Jun. 14, 1940, Charles Armstrong and V. H. Haas published Immunity to the Lansing Strain of Poliomyelitis…
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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…
Charles R Drew began blood processing program for English war victims: Plasma for Britain
In 1940, Charles R. Drew, MD, an African American surgeon and Howard University researcher, began an early blood…
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…
Scientists discovered how to purify and preserve penicillin
In 1940, Howard Florey, Ernst Chain and others in England discover how to purify and preserve penicillin. The…
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…
Nikolai Vavilov, perhaps the leading plant geneticist in the world, was arrested in the Ukraine
In 1940, Nikolai Vavilov, perhaps the leading plant geneticist in the world, was arrested while on a collecting…
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 Squibb Institute obtained cultures of penicillium notatum from the UK and developed deep tank fermentation processes for production of penicillin
In 1940, Squibb obtained cultures of penicillium notatum from the U.K. and developed deep tank fermentation processes for…
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…
First sign of antibiotic resistance to Penicillin was reported
In 1940, Edard Abraham and Ernst Chain reported that an E. coli strain was able to inactivate penicillin…
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….
Baseball legend Lou Gehrig delivered the famous farewell speech bidding to fans
On Jul. 4, 1939, baseball legend Lou Gehrig delivered the famous speech bidding farewell to the ballpark and…
Storrs Agricultural School became the University of Connecticut
On Jul. 1, 1939, Storrs Agricultural School became the University of Connecticut. Many in the University community believed…
The Federal Security Agency was established
On Apr. 25, 1939, the Federal Security Agency (FSA), now known as the Department of Health, Education, and…
Rene Dubos isolates gramicidin, an antibiotic, from a common soil microbe
In 1939, Rene Dubos isolated gramicidin, an antibiotic, from a common soil microbe. His discovery helps cure a…
Louis Schwartz and H. R. Foerster described industrial dermatitis and melanosis due to photosensitization
In 1939, Louis Schwartz and H. R. Foerster described industrial dermatitis and melanosis due to photosensitization.
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…
Margaret Pittman showed that sulfapyradine was effective against nontype-specific Haemophilus influenzae
In 1939, Margaret Pittman showed that sulfapyradine was effective against nontype-specific Haemophilus influenzae. Pittman discovered that there are…
The first large-scale deliberate release of bacteria into the environment was conducted
In 1939, the first large-scale deliberate release of bacteria into the environment takes place when Bp is sprayed…
First Food Standards issued (canned tomatoes, tomato puree, and tomato paste)
In 1939, the First Food Standards were issued (canned tomatoes, tomato puree, and tomato paste). The standards looked…
The University of Iowa researcher WD “Shorty” Paul developed the concept for buffered aspirin
In 1939, University of Iowa researcher W.D. “Shorty” Paul developed the concept for buffered aspirin. In 1917, the…
Lewis L. Coriell pioneered techniques for characterizing, freezing, and storing non-contaminated cell cultures
In 1939, Lewis L. Coriell published a paper on an aspect of science he would revolutionize: His pioneering…
Sister Kenny introduced methods of hot-pack applications, stretching, and muscle massage for polio
In 1939, Elizabeth Kenny, or Sister Kenny, as nurses were called in Australia, came to the U.S. in…
National Malaria Society was founded
In 1939, the National Malaria Society was founded. In 1951, the criteria for eradication as put forth by…