The Medical Society of South Carolina was founded
On Dec. 24, 1789, the Medical Society of South Carolina was founded in Charleston on Christmas Eve by…
The University of North Carolina was founded
On Dec. 11, 1789, the University of North Carolina (UNC) was founded. UNC was the first public university…
Caspar Wistar began his medical practice
In 1787, Caspar Wistar, M.D., began his medical practice in Philadelphia. Dr. Wistar was the author of the…
British physician Michael Underwood provided the first clinical description of polio
In 1789, British physician Michael Underwood provided the first clinical description of polio. Underwood referred to polio as…
The first class graduated from the Massachusetts Medical College of Harvard University
In 1788, The first class graduated from the Massachusetts Medical College of Harvard University.
Abraham Baldwin was selected president of the University of Georgia
On Feb. 13, 1786, first meeting of the University of Georgia board of trustees was held and Abraham…
The University of Georgia was incorporated
On Jan. 27, 1785, the University of Georgia was incorporated by the Georgia General Assembly, making it the…
Antoine Lavoisier and Pierre-Simon Laplace discovered that animals take in oxygen and exhale CO2
In 1784, Frenchman Antoine Lavoisier the “Father of modern chemistry” and Pierre-Simon Laplace discovered that animals take in…
The Massachusetts Medical College of Harvard University was founded
On Sept. 19, 1782, the Harvard Medical School was founded by Dr. John Warren a graduate of Harvard…
The Massachusetts Medical Society was founded
On Nov. 1, 1781, the Massachusetts Medical Society was established, and its charter was signed by Samuel Adams,…
Dartmouth College was founded
On Dec. 13, 1769, Dartmouth College was founded in Hanover by Eleazar Wheelock as a school to educate…
The College of Philadelphia was founded
In 1765, The College of Philadelphia, now Pennsylvania School of Medicine, opened its doors becoming the first and…
Botanist Joseph Koelreuter reported successful crossbreeding of crop plants
In 1761, German botanist Joseph Koelreuter reported successful crossbreeding of crop plants in different species.
Physician John Hill established the connection between tobacco and cancer
In 1761, physician John Hill confirmed the role of local irritation and inflammation in causation of cancer. In…
Physician James Lind of the British Royal Navy publishes “A Treatise on the Scurvy”
In 1753, Scottish physician James Lind of the British Royal Navy published “A Treatise on the Scurvy” in…
Pennsylvania Hospital opens as nation’s first hospital
In 1751, Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation’s first hospital opened at the University of Pennsylvania.
The University of Pennsylvania was founded
In 1749 in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin presented his vision of a school in a pamphlet titled Proposals for…
James Lind started his famous scurvy clinical trial
On May 20, 1747, James Lind of the British Royal Navy started his famous scurvy clinical trial. In…
King Gustav III of Sweden conducted coffee trial
Beginning in 1746, King Gustav III of Sweden, who viewed coffee consumption as a threat to the public…
The Free School (University of Delaware) was founded
In 1743, the University of Delaware traces its roots to the Free School founded in New London, Pennsylvania…
First legislation for health surveillance was enacted in Rhode Island
In 1741, The first legislation for health surveillance was enacted in the American colony of Rhode Island. The…
New York City Council established a quarantine anchorage off Bedloe’s Island
In 1738, New York City Council established a quarantine anchorage off Bedloe’s Island, now known as home of…
Stephen Hales first measures blood pressure in a horse
In 1727, Stephen Hales first measured the blood pressure in a horse. Hale continued his studies on cardiac…
Yale College awarded an honorary degree, the first medical degree given by an American university
In 1723, Yale College awarded an honorary degree, the first medical degree given by an American university to…
Dr. Zabdiel Boylston inoculated his son against smallpox
On Jun. 26, 1721, smallpox broke out in Boston, threatening to devastate the City. Zabdiel Boylston Adams, a…
First vaccine in the U.S. was introduced by an enslaved African
In 1721, the first vaccine in the U.S. was introduced by an enslaved African named Onesimus who brought…
Variolation was introduced to Great Britain
In 1721, variolation was introduced to Great Britain. In 1840, the British government passed the Vaccination Act that…
The Great Plague of Marseille began
On May 25, 1720, the Great Plague of Marseille began with the arrival of the Grand St Antoine…
The Collegiate School (Yale University) was founded
In 1701, Yale University was founded as the Collegiate School in the home of Abraham Pierson, its first…
The Collegiate School (Yale University) was renamed Yale College
In 1718, the Collegiate School (Yale University) was renamed Yale College in recognition of Elihu Yale’s donation of…