Human Epic
Medicine and health
Bencao Gangmu: Li Shizhen’s classification, entries and editions
Li Shizhen reorganized inherited texts, observations and experience into a classification of medicines and natural substances. The 1596 Jinling edition became influential across East Asia.
Jenner’s cowpox experiment: from observation to vaccination
Jenner inoculated a child with cowpox and recorded that a later smallpox inoculation did not produce the disease. He reported the case in his 1798 Inquiry, an important document in the development of vaccination.
The penicillin paper: from culture dishes to drug research
Fleming reported experiments showing that Penicillium cultures inhibited certain bacteria and named the active material penicillin, providing evidence for antibiotic research.
Eradicating smallpox: finding and stopping the last transmission
After reviewing the global eradication programme, the World Health Assembly formally declared smallpox eradicated worldwide, recognizing a public-health achievement shared by many nations.
No articles match these filters