Dr. Leonidas Harris Berry became the first black physician on staff at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago
In 1946, Dr. Leonidas Harris Berry became the first black physician on staff at Michael Reese Hospital in…
Sloan-Kettering Institute (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) was founded
On Aug. 8, 1945, the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research (SKI) was established. A gift of $4 million…
fluoride First Used in U.S. Public water Supply
On Jan. 25, 1945, at 4:00 p.m., Grand Rapids, Michigan, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the inaugural…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | NIH | Oncology | Radiology | Therapeutics | Women's Health
NCI scientists published first monograph that showed the mouse breast cancer “agent” was a filterable virus
In 1945, W. Ray Bryan, Michael B. Shimkin, Howard B. Andervont, Herbert Kahler and Thelma B. Dunn published…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Fort Lewis General Hospital was redesignated Madigan General Hospital
On Sept. 22, 1944, the War Department General Order Number 76 officially redesignated Fort Lewis General Hospital as…
Disease | FDA | Life Science History | Medicine | Vaccine
Paul B. Dunbar, PhD, became Commissioner of Food and Drugs
On May. 1, 1944, Paul B. Dunbar, Ph.D., becomes Commissioner of Food and Drugs. His tenure as commissioner…
Leo Kanner published the first clinical description of 11 children with autism
In 1943, Leo Kanner, a child psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, published the first clinical description of 11…
The Detroit Institute for Cancer Research was founded
In 1943, The Detroit Institute for Cancer Research was incorporated with just $483 and 200 shares of General…
The electron microscope was used to characterize a bacteriophage virus that infects bacteria
In 1942, the first phage electron micrographs (EM) were published in 1940 in Germany and proved the particulate…
Dr. William Hutchinson joined the Swedish Tumor Institute
In 1942, Dr. William Hutchinson began a 47 year career in Seattle, Washington when he joined the Swedish…
Ida A Bengtson and Norman Topping developed a complement fixation test for diagnosis of rickettsial diseases
In January 1941, Ida A. Bengtson and Norman Topping published “Complement-Fixation in Rickettsial Diseases” in the American Journal…
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…
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…
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….
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Squibb Institute for Medical Research was established in New Brunswick, New Jersey
On Oct. 11, 1938, the Squibb Biological Laboratories, New Brunswick, New Jersey, established a new laboratory for the…
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…