Today in Medical History

August 18 in Medical History

20 entries: discoveries, epidemics, drugs and the people who shaped medicine.

Observed today

1
  1. Christian feast day: — FiacreHealth observanceWikipedia

Events

9
  1. 1840American Society of Dental Surgeons is founded in New YorkHealthcare institution / ProfessionOnThisDay
  2. 1917Queen's HospitalThe Queen's Hospital opens to provide pioneering plastic surgery for WWI soldiers, led by Harold Gillies in Sidcup, EnglandSurgery / Procedure / DeviceOnThisDay
  3. 1919Anti-Cigarette League of America forms in Chicago, IllinoisPublic health / PolicyOnThisDay
  4. 1967Boston Red Sox player Tony Conigliaro is beaned by Angels pitcher Jack Hamilton at Fenway Park; injuries including a fractured cheekbone, dislocated jaw, and eye damage keep him from returning for a year and a half and lead to improvements in batting helmetsNotable person's healthOnThisDay
  5. 1981Lewis Defends TelethonsJerry Lewis appears on "Donahue" to defend his telethons against criticism from disability rights activistsHealthcare institution / ProfessionOnThisDay
  6. 1987Ohio healthcare worker Donald Harvey is sentenced to triple life for poisoning 24 patientsHealthcare institution / ProfessionOnThisDay
  7. 1988FDA approves Minoxidil as a hair loss treatmentDrug / VaccineOnThisDay
  8. 2022New method to break down "forever chemicals" PFAS compounds, responsible for cancers, low birth weights, and lowered immunity, published by scientists in the journal "Science"Discovery / ResearchOnThisDay
  9. 2023English neonatal nurse Lucy Letby is found guilty of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six more between June 2015 and June 2016 at a Manchester courtHealthcare institution / ProfessionOnThisDay

Born on this day

6
  1. 1823Willem Jan Frans NuyensDutch physician and Roman Catholic historian, born in Avenhorn, Netherlands (d. 1894)Physician / SurgeonOnThisDay
  2. 1914Lucy OzarinUnited States Navy lieutenant commander and psychiatrist (died 2017)Psychiatry / PsychologyWikipedia
  3. 1925Pierre GrondinCanadian pioneering cardiac surgeon, performed 1st heart transplant in Canada, born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2006)Physician / SurgeonWikipedia
  4. 1926Orlando BoschCuban-American pediatrician and anti-Castro militant (acquitted of the 1976 airliner bombing), born in Potrerillo, Cuba (d. 2011)Physician / SurgeonOnThisDay
  5. 1932Luc MontagnierFrench virologist (Nobel Prize 2008, discovered HIV), born in Chabris, France (d. 2022)Medical scientistWikipedia
  6. 1937Sheila CassidyEnglish physician and authorPhysician / SurgeonWikipedia

Died on this day

4
  1. 1853Peter LichtenthalAustrian composer, musicologist, and physician, dies at 73Physician / SurgeonOnThisDay
  2. 1994Richard Laurence Millington SyngeBritish biochemist (Nobel 1952), dies at 79Medical scientistOnThisDay
  3. 1995Andrew WilkinsonBritish pediatrician and the first Professor of Paediatric Surgery in the UK, dies at 81Physician / SurgeonOnThisDay
  4. 2006Jamie AstaphanCaribbean-born physician (b. 1946)Physician / SurgeonOnThisDay

Sources: onthisday.com and Wikipedia's “On this day” (text under CC BY-SA 4.0), screened for medical relevance. Each entry links to its source.