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)…
Congress voted to cut off the Seed Distribution Program
In 1925, the U.S. Congress voted to cut off its expensive Seed Distribution Program, which had consumed more…
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…
Influenza had made its way to Jefferson Barracks, outside St Louis, and cases began to rise
By Oct. 1, 1918, influenza had made its way to Jefferson Barracks, just outside St. Louis, and cases…
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Sherley Amendment to the Pure Food and Drugs Act was constitutional
On Jan. 10, 1916, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Sherley Amendment to the Pure Food and Drugs…
The Harrison Narcotic Act was passed, mandating narcotic and prescription drug requirements
On Dec. 17, 1914. the Harrison Narcotic Act was passed by the U.S. Congress which mandated narcotic and…
Dr. Harvey Wiley, “Father of the Pure Food and Drugs Act,” resigned as chief of the agency that became FDA
On Mar. 15, 1912, Dr. Harvey Wiley, “Father of the Pure Food and Drugs Act,” resigned as chief…
Congress enacted the Sherley Amendment to over come the ruling in US v Johnson
In 1912, U.S. Congress enacted the Sherley Amendment in 1912 to overcome the 1910 ruling in U.S. v….
Biology | Diagnostics | FDA | Life Science History | Medical Device | NIH | Nutraceuticals | Oncology | Pharmaceutical | Stem Cell | U.S. Congress | Women's Health
The Supreme Court ruled the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act does not prohibit false therapeutic claims
On May 29, 1911, in U.S. v. Johnson, the Supreme Court ruled that the 1906 Pure Food and…
Upton Sinclair’s book ‘The Jungle’ was published
On Feb. 27, 1906, Upton Sinclair’s book The Jungle was published. The book gave graphic descriptions of the…
In Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11, the Supreme Court argued the Case on compulsory vaccination
On Dec. 6, 1904, the U.S. Supreme Court argued the case requiring a compulsory vaccination law. The Court…
cartoon: uncle sam’s christmas Presents
Uncle Sam’s Christmas Presents by Bob Satterfield. The cartoon depicts Uncle Sam having received several cigars as Christmas…
Congress appropriates $5,000 to the Bureau of Chemistry to study chemical preservatives
In 1902, the U.S. Congress appropriated $5,000 to the Bureau of Chemistry (Bureau) to study chemical preservatives and…
In St. Louis, 13 children died of tetanus-contaminated diphtheria antitoxin
In 1901, diphtheria patients were routinely treated with antitoxin derived from the blood serum of horses. After 13…
The city of San Francisco’s quarantine of Chinatown was ruled discriminatory
In 1900, the city of San Francisco’s quarantine of Chinatown ruled discriminatory, but city health officials conducted house-to-house…
The Congressional Seed Distribution Program reached its apex
In 1897, the Congressional Seed Distribution Program reaches its apex: 19 million packets of free seeds – with…
The US Congress adopted the Rayner-Harris National Quarantine Act for medical inspection of immigrants
In 1893, the U.S. Congress passed the Rayner-Harris National Quarantine Act which established procedures for medical inspection of…
The Hatch Act established the national system of agricultural research experiment stations
In 1887, the Hatch Act, written by Seaman Knapp and Charles Bessey on the faculty at Iowa Agricultural…
U.S. Congress passed The Margarine Act of 1886
On Aug. 2. 1886, the U.S. Congress passed the Oleomargarine Act which among other things, directed the Secretary…
The Oleomargarine Act defined the essence of butter and imposed a two-cent per pound tax on oleomargarine
On Jul. 23, 1886, the 49th Congress (1885–1887) set in motion an era of commercial regulation by passing…
Clara Barton founded the American Association of the Red Cross
On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton, named the “Angel of the Battlefield” during the Civil War, founded the…
An act of Congress dedicated land in Montana Territory for creation of a University
On Feb. 18, 1881, an act of the U.S. Congress dedicated for university purposes in Montana seventy-two sections…
Peter Collier at the US Department of Agriculture recommended passage of a national food and drug law
In 1880. Peter Collier, a chief chemist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recommended passage of a national…
Biology | FDA | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | NIH | U.S. Congress
John B Hamilton began service as Supervising Surgeon (later known as U.S. Surgeon General)
On Apr. 3, 1879, John B. Hamilton began service as Supervising Surgeon (later known as U.S. Surgeon General),…
Following yellow fever outbreaks, the US Congress established the National Board of Health
In 1879, following yellow fever outbreaks, the U.S. Congress established the National Board of Health, in part to…
Act to Prevent the Introduction of Contagious or Infectious Diseases into the U.S. went into effect
On Apr. 29, 1878, an Act of the U.S. Congress to Prevent the Introduction of Contagious or Infectious…
John Maynard Woodworth began service as Supervising Surgeon (later known as U.S. Surgeon General)
On Mar. 29, 1871, John Maynard Woodworth was appointed U.S. Surgeon General, and he moved quickly to reform…
Iowa became the first State in the Nation to accept the terms of the Morrill Act creating the land-grant system of colleges
On Sept. 12, 1862, Iowa became the first State in the Nation to accept the terms and conditions…
The Morrill Act which created the U.S. and-grant system of colleges was enacted
On Jul. 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Act, or the Land Grant Colleges…
The Organic Act established the U.S. Department of Agriculture
On May 15, 1862, the Organic Act established the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and directed its commissioner to…