Ether Anesthesia Is Demonstrated Publicly in Boston
The first public use of ether anesthesia took place in Boston on October 16, 1846, changing surgery forever.
James Young Simpson Shows Chloroform Can Kill Pain
On November 4, 1847, James Young Simpson used chloroform as an anesthetic in Edinburgh.
Phineas Gage Survives an Iron Rod Through the Head
On September 13, 1848, an iron rod was driven through Phineas Gage's skull; he survived and became neurology's most cited case.
The Red Cross Is Founded
On October 29, 1863, sixteen nations met in Geneva and founded the Red Cross to aid war's wounded.
Edith Cavell Is Executed by a German Firing Squad
British nurse Edith Cavell was executed in Brussels on October 12, 1915, for helping Allied soldiers escape occupied Belgium.
Alexander Fleming Notices That Mould Kills Bacteria
On September 28, 1928, Alexander Fleming found that a mould had killed bacteria in a dish, and penicillin was discovered.
The First Successful Kidney Transplant in Britain
On October 30, 1960, the surgeon Michael Woodruff performed the first successful kidney transplant in Britain, between identical twins.
California Becomes the First State to Ban LSD
California's ban on LSD took effect on October 6, 1966, the first state law against the drug, and it ended open medical research with it.