Today in Medical History

June 23 in Medical History

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

Events

6
  1. 1949First twelve women graduate from Harvard Medical SchoolHealthcare institution / ProfessionOnThisDay
  2. 1960Contraceptive PillFirst contraceptive pill is made available for purchase in the United StatesDrug / VaccineWikipedia
  3. 1975Rocker Alice Cooper falls off the stage in Vancouver and breaks six ribsNotable person's healthOnThisDay
  4. 2020COVID-19 cases rise sharply again in America as country records its 3rd highest daily total, more than 35,000Disease / EpidemicOnThisDay
  5. 2020Germany locks down a second area after a spike in COVID-19 cases in Gütersloh and Warendorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, affecting half a million peopleDisease / EpidemicOnThisDay
  6. 2024More than 1300 people have died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage, according to Saudi Arabia as temperatures rose over 46 degrees C (117 degrees F), attended by 1.83 million MuslimsPublic health / PolicyOnThisDay

Born on this day

10
  1. 1799John Milton BernhiselAmerican physician, politician and Latter Day Saints figure, born in Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania (d. 1881)Physician / SurgeonWikipedia
  2. 1800Karol MarcinkowskiPolish physician and social activist, born in Posen, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1846)Physician / SurgeonWikipedia
  3. 1894Alfred KinseyAmerican entomologist and sexologist (Kinsey Report), born in Hoboken, New Jersey (d. 1956)Medical scientistWikipedia
  4. 1903Paul Joseph James MartinCanadian politician, often called the 'Father of Medicare' as Minister of National Health and Welfare, born in Ottawa, Ontario (d. 1992)Health leader / ActivistWikipedia
  5. 1925Oliver SmithiesBritish biochemist (2007 Noble Prize for gene targeting), born in Halifax (d. 2017)Medical scientistOnThisDay
  6. 1943Ellyn KaschakAmerican psychologist and academicPsychiatry / PsychologyWikipedia
  7. 1948Nigel OsborneEnglish composer, teacher and music therapist, born in Manchester, EnglandDentist / Pharmacist / AlliedOnThisDay
  8. 1955Pierre CorbeilCanadian dentist and politicianDentist / Pharmacist / AlliedWikipedia
  9. 1956Dan DruckerCanadian endocrinologist whose research into insulin levels led to new weight-loss medications, born in Montreal, QuebecPhysician / SurgeonOnThisDay
  10. 1956Daniel J. DruckerCanadian academic and educatorPhysician / SurgeonWikipedia

Died on this day

5
  1. 1770Mark AkensideEnglish poet and physician, dies at 48Physician / SurgeonWikipedia
  2. 1866Samuel SarphatiAmsterdam physician pharmacist and social activist in Amsterdam, dies at 53Physician / SurgeonOnThisDay
  3. 1995Jonas SalkAmerican medical researcher and virologist who created the Polio vaccine, dies of heart failure at 80 (1914-1995)Medical scientistWikipedia
  4. 2009Jerri NielsenAmerican physician and explorer (born 1952)Physician / SurgeonWikipedia
  5. 2025James B. MaasAmerican social psychologist and sleep expert (Power Sleep), dies of heart failure at 86Psychiatry / PsychologyOnThisDay

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.