ca 2900 b.c     Emperor Fu Hsi presents the Chinese principle of yin and yang.

ca 500 b.c       First anatomical dissection of a human is recorded.

ca 350 b.c       Praxagoras of Cos makes distinction between arteries and veins.

1200               Alcohol widely used for medical purposes.

1529               Giovanni Battista da Monte introduces a method for clinically examining patients at the                                  sickbed.

1543               Andrea Vesalius publishes the first accurate and comprehensive book on human anatomy.

1552               Bartolommeo Eustachio explains the Eustachian tube and valve.

1559               Realdo Colombo describes position of human embryo.

1582               Urbain Hemand investigates the anatomy of teeth.

1615               Santorio publishes a study on metabolism and perspiration.

1626               First human temperature taken.

1628               William Harvey explains the circulatory system.

1641               Arsenic used medically.

1656               Thomas Wharton describes the anatomy of the glands.

1660               Antoni van Leeuwenhoek gives the first accurate description of red blood cells.

1664               Thomas Willis advances knowledge of the human nervous system.

1671               Ether and its medicinal properties are described.

1707               Sir John Floyer recognizes the importance of counting pulse beat.

1714               First fine-pointed syringe for use in surgery is made.

1779               Semen is proved necessary for fertilization.

1796               Edward Jenner discovers the principles of vaccination.

1805               Morphine is isolated.

1882               Dr. Robert Koch discovers the bacterium that causes tuberculosis.

1898               Mosquitoes are proven to transmit malaria parasite.

1900               Sigmund Freud writes The Interpretation of Dreams.

1901               Discovery of antigens and hormones; mosquitoes proved to carry yellow fever.

1909               Gene theory of inheritance is established.

1922               Insulin used to treat diabetes.

1927               The iron lung is developed.

1928               Alexander Fleming accidentally discovers penicillin.

1946               Dr. Spocks writes The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.

1953               Structure of  DNA is discovered.

1954               Jonas Salk develops first safe and effective vaccine for polio.

1967               Christiaan Barnard perform the first successful human heart transplant.

1978               First test-tube baby born.

1979               Smallpox is declared eradicated.

2001               Human DNA is successfully decoded.

2012               Researchers publishes the genetic procedure the would create an airborne avian flu.