Xavier Bichat: The Botanist Who Saw Beauty in Diversity

Portrait of Xavier Bichat by Pierre Maximilien Delafontaine c. 1799.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: November 14, 1771 On this day, dear readers and fellow admirers of nature’s intricate tapestry, we celebrate the birth of a most remarkable individual: Xavier Bichat, the French anatomist, botanist, and pathologist whose keen eye and brilliant mind would forever change our understanding of…

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Terramycin: The Soil Discovery That Made Pfizer a Powerhouse

Charles Pfizer, co-founder of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer in A German immigrant, he co-founded Charles Pfizer & Company in 1849 in Brooklyn, New York, with his cousin Charles Erhart. Their first product was a palatable, almond-toffee-flavored anti-parasitic medicine called santonin, which was used to treat intestinal worms.

The Beginning of Pfizer January 27, 1950 On this day, Science Magazine announced a brand new antibiotic made by Charles Pfizer & Company, and it was called Terramycin. Last year, when I shared this item, I don’t think many of us were as familiar with the word Pfizer as we are today – living through the COVID-19…

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Adam Kuhn: Early American Physician, Naturalist, and Professor of Medicine

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Kuhnia Today is the anniversary of the death of the American doctor, professor, and naturalist Adam Kuhn. Adam was exceptionally well-trained for his time. His father had been a physician – his parents were German immigrants – and Adam grew up in Germantown, Pennsylvania. At some point, his family sent him to Sweden, where he…

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Caspar Wistar: The Physician Who Inspired the Beloved Wisteria

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The Wistar Institute On this day in 1777, Caspar Wistar treated the wounded during the battle of Germantown and decided he would pursue medical training. Wistar (“Wiss-Star”)is the names of The Wistar Institute, the nation’s first independent biomedical research center. Today, they focus on cancer, infectious disease & vaccine research to benefit human health. The…

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Garden Vigilance: Honoring Yellow Fever Pioneer Aristides Simoni

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This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 3, 1868 On this day, Aristides Simoni came squalling into this world, utterly unaware that he would one day save countless lives through his revolutionary research. One can only imagine the midwife…

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