Outbreaks of bubonic and pneumonic plague reported in south-central, southwestern and northern India
On Aug. 26, 1994, the plague struck Surat, a city in the state of Gujarat in western India,…
Biology | CDC | Diagnostics | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | NIH | Plague | Therapeutics | Vaccine
The CDC opened an expanded maximum containment lab (hot lab) for highly dangerous viruses
In 1978, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) completed construction of a new hot lab…
The U.S., the Soviet Union and 70 other nations signed an agreement banning biological warfare
On Apr. 10, 1972, the United States, the Soviet Union and 70 other nations signed an agreement that…
President Richard Nixon renounced the use of lethal biological agents and weapons
On Nov. 25, 1969, President Richard Nixon issued his “Statement on Chemical and Biological Defense Policies and Programs”…
At the height of the great plague in London more than 7,000 people died weekly
In September 1665, at the height of the great plague in London, more than 7,100 died in one…
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…
The USDA reported more than 50,000 foreign plants have been introduced into the US since 1862
In 1923, more than 50,000 foreign plants had been introduced into the United States since 1862 by the…
The Rocky Mountain Laboratory was established in Hamilton
In 1921, the founding of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory (RML) can be traced back to westward migration when…
George W McCoy published a report that was the first involvement of the Hygienic Laboratory in cancer research
On Aug. 31, 1909, George W. McCoy published a preliminary report in “The Journal of Medical Research” that…
Bubonic plague broke out in Seattle
On Oct. 1, 1907, bubonic plague broke out in Seattle when three (possibly seven) people died. Rats were…
In March, Chick Gin, a Chinese proprietor, died of bubonic plague in the Chinese quarter of San Francisco
In March 1900, Chick Gin, the Chinese proprietor of a lumberyard, died of bubonic plague in a flophouse…
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…
First plague vaccine developed by Russian physician Waldemar M. W. Haffkine
On Jan. 10, 1897, Russian physician Waldemar M. W. Haffkine, who trained with Louis Pasteur in Paris, tested…
Plague vaccine was introduced, following the preparation of anti-plague horse serum at the Pasteur Institute
In 1897, a plague vaccine was introduced, following the preparation of anti-plague horse serum at the Pasteur Institute…
Vampire panic caused by tuberculosis
On Jan. 27, 1896, the Boston Globe published a story on superstitious beliefs in rural Rhode Island that…
Plague pandemic began in China and lasted over a decade spreading from Hong Kong throughout the world
In 1894, the last major plague pandemic began in China and lasted over a decade spreading from Hong…
Shibasaburo Kitasato identified the cause of the plague
In 1894, Kitasato Shibasaburo isolated the causative bacillus from buboes, later named Yersinia pestis, while he researched the…
Alexandre Yersin isolated from buboes the causative bacillus that later was named Yersinia pestis
In 1894, Alexandre Yersin, a member of the French Colonial Health Service in Hong Kong isolated from buboes…
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…
Avian influenza (bird flu) was first described
In 1878, The first description of avian influenza (bird flu) dates to 1878 in northern Italy, when it…
More than 800 people died suddenly from Texas cattle disease in New York City
On Jul. 11, 1868, Texas cattle disease first appeared at Jersey City’s Communipaw slaughterhouse in the New York…
The first international sanitary conference was held in Paris, France
In 1850, the first international sanitary conference is held in Paris, France with a goal of making quarantines…
The Great Plague of Marseille began
On May 25, 1720, the Great Plague of Marseille began with the arrival of the Grand St Antoine…
A plague epidemic around the Baltic Sea led England to pass the Quarantine Act
In 1712, a plague epidemic around the Baltic Sea led England to pass the Quarantine Act that required…
A Massachusetts statute quarantined victims of the plague, smallpox and other infectious diseases
In 1697, a Massachusetts statute stipulated that all individuals suffering from plague, smallpox, and other infectious diseases must…
The city of Frankfurt, Germany prohibited people living in plague-infected houses from public areas
In 1666, the city of Frankfurt, Germany issued a decree prohibiting people living in plague-infected houses from visiting…
The bubonic plague arrived in the English village of Eyam
In 1665 a tailor from Eyam ordered a box of materials relating to his trade from London, that…
Russia officials organized quarantines to prevent the spread of the plague
In 1664, Russia officials organized quarantines to prevent the spread of the plague and prohibited entry into Moscow…
The English enacted a quarantine on all ships bound for London
In 1663, the English enacted a quarantine on all ships bound for London requiring each to pause at…
The English monarchy issued royal decrees calling for establishment of permanent quarantines
In 1663, the English monarchy issued royal decrees calling for the establishment of permanent quarantines for people infected…