Medicine in History
Explore 56 historical moments related to medicine — from pivotal breakthroughs to world-changing events.
📅 20th Century(17)
First case of 1918 flu pandemic reported
The first confirmed case of the Spanish flu is reported at Fort Riley, Kansas. The pandemic eventually kills 50–100 million people.
Insulin becomes widely available for diabetics
Commercial production of insulin expands, marking a turning point in the treatment of diabetes during the early 1920s.
Great Smog of London begins
The "Great Smog of London" began and lasted for five days. It caused 12,000 deaths and led to the Clean Air Act 1956.
Jonas Salk announces polio vaccine
American virologist Jonas Salk announces that he has successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis on a small group of children.
Surgeon General Warns of Smoking Dangers
U.S. surgeon general Luther Terry issued a warning that tobacco smoking may be hazardous to health, linking it to lung cancer and other illnesses.
First Human Cryopreservation
Seventy-three-year-old psychology professor James Bedford became the first person to be cryonically preserved. The preservation was done with the intent of future resuscitation.
Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act signed
U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act into law, mandating surgeon general warnings on cigarette packaging.
Last natural smallpox infection
Somali hospital cook Ali Maow Maalin began displaying symptoms of smallpox on October 26, 1977. He became the last person known to be naturally infected by the disease.
Death of Kurt Gödel
Austrian logician Kurt Gödel died of starvation after his wife, who he feared would poison him, was hospitalized.
Kim Duk-koo boxing death
South Korean boxer Kim Duk-koo suffered fatal brain injuries during a match with American Ray Mancini in Las Vegas, leading to significant rule changes in the sport.
Reagan acknowledges AIDS
Four years after AIDS was first identified in the United States, Ronald Reagan publicly acknowledged AIDS for the first time.
Ryan White denied school re-admission
Ryan White, an HIV/AIDS patient, was denied re-admission to his school after contracting the disease from hemophilia treatments.
Zidovudine approved for HIV/AIDS
The antiretroviral drug zidovudine became the first treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for HIV/AIDS on March 20, 1987.
Magic Johnson Retires
Magic Johnson announced his retirement from professional basketball due to HIV infection.
Christopher Reeve's accident
American actor Christopher Reeve was thrown from his horse, leaving him quadriplegic. He later became an activist for people with spinal cord injuries.
Pokémon episode causes seizures
"Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Japanese television series Pokémon, induced epileptic seizures in 685 children.
Jack Kevorkian Trial
A jury began deliberations in the trial of Jack Kevorkian, who was charged with murder for his role in physician-assisted suicide. He was accused in the death of a terminally ill patient.
📅 21th Century(39)
First SARS case recorded
The first case of SARS, a zoonotic respiratory coronavirus disease, was recorded in Guangdong, China, on November 16, 2002.
Clonaid claims first human clone
The human-cloning company Clonaid claimed to have performed the first reproductive cloning of a human. However, they provided no evidence to support this assertion.
Terri Schiavo Feeding Tube Removal
A court order led to the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, sparking a global debate on euthanasia.
Chinese Milk Scandal
A tainted milk powder scandal broke in China, involving an estimated 300,000 victims, mostly infants. This resulted in 54,000 hospitalizations and six deaths due to kidney problems.
Bihar Midday Meal Poisoning
At least 23 students died and dozens more fell ill in Bihar, India, after consuming a Midday Meal contaminated with pesticide.
Lorna Wing
Lorna Wing, an English psychiatrist and physician, died. She pioneered studies of autism.
WHO declares Ebola epidemic a public health emergency
The World Health Organization declared the Western African Ebola epidemic a public health emergency of international concern. The epidemic had begun in December 2013.
Mozambique funeral beer poisoning
Contaminated beer served at a funeral in Tete Province, Mozambique, killed 75 people and made at least 230 others ill.
Augusta Chiwy
Congolese-Belgian nurse.
Sidney Phillips
Sidney Phillips was an American soldier, physician, and author, known for his experiences in World War II.
Lewis Rowland
Lewis Rowland was an American neurologist.
Mark Wainberg
Canadian researcher and HIV/AIDS activist Mark Wainberg died on April 11, 2017. He was born in 1945.
Jens Christian Skou
Jens Christian Skou was a Danish medical doctor and Nobel Prize laureate.
William McBride
Australian obstetrician William McBride died on June 27, 2018. He was born in 1927.
Sydney Brenner
Sydney Brenner was a South African biologist and Nobel Prize laureate.
Janette Sherman
Janette Sherman was an American physician, author, and pioneer in occupational and environmental health, born in 1930.
WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic
The World Health Organization officially characterizes COVID-19 as a pandemic, affecting millions worldwide.
COVID-19 Pandemic Declared
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.
WHO declares COVID-19 a public health emergency
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be a public health emergency of international concern.
Otto Hutter
Otto Hutter was an Austrian-born British physiologist.
Li Wenliang
Li Wenliang was a Chinese ophthalmologist who initially warned about COVID-19. He died from the virus in 2020.
Angelika Amon
Angelika Amon was an Austrian-American molecular and cell biologist.
Graham Pink
Graham Pink was a British nurse.
Elena Huelva
Elena Huelva, Spanish cancer activist and influencer, died. She was born in 2002.
Ian Wilmut
British embryologist. He was born in 1944.
Cyril Wecht
Cyril Wecht was an American forensic pathologist.
Geneviève de Galard
Geneviève de Galard was a French nurse.
Death of Bengt I. Samuelsson
Bengt I. Samuelsson was a Swedish biochemist and academic, and a Nobel Prize laureate.
Death of Diana Hill
Diana Hill, a New Zealand biochemist, died.
Ruth Westheimer dies
Ruth Westheimer was a German-American sex therapist.
Robin Warren
Robin Warren was an Australian pathologist and academic who shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on Helicobacter pylori.
Death of Zaw Myint Maung
Zaw Myint Maung, a Burmese politician, physician, and former political prisoner, has died.
Lee Wei Ling
Lee Wei Ling, a Singaporean neurologist, has died. She was born in 1955.
Andrew Schally
Andrew Schally was a Polish-American endocrinologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Ginés González García
Ginés González García was an Argentine politician and physician.
Richard A. Cash
Richard A. Cash was an American global health researcher.
Ana Gligić
Serbian virologist Ana Gligić died.
Étienne-Émile Baulieu
Étienne-Émile Baulieu was a French biochemist and endocrinologist.
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist.
Explore More Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the most important medicine events in history?
- Notable medicine events include: First case of 1918 flu pandemic reported (1918), Insulin becomes widely available for diabetics (1923), Great Smog of London begins (1952).
- How many medicine events are in the timeline?
- Our collection includes 56 historical entries related to medicine, spanning centuries of human history.
History, Delivered Daily.
Join thousands of history buffs. Get a curated 1-minute read of the day's most fascinating historical events sent straight to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy.