Not much over a hundred years ago healthcare was primitive by any current accounting. Most physicians had never been close to medical school for the simple reason that there weren't many. Shortly after Johns Hopkins endowed the university that bears his name, the concept of formal eduction of medical doctors was developed - largely at Hopkins and largely the work of William Henry Welch.
In other health items today we have Betty Ford's birthday. A remarkable woman who came back from her own health crises to educate and promote access to healthcare in many areas. And one core reason Hank Aaron set his records was that he stayed healthy enough to show up at the ballpark and swing the bat consistently, missing very few days to sickness or injury in a long career.
Have a good, healthy weekend.
1546 - At its fourth session, the Council of Trent adopted Jerome's "Latin Vulgate" as the official Bible of the Catholic Church. (Included in the Vulgate were the 15 apocryphal Old Testament books which Protestants reject in their biblical canon.)
1838 - The steamship Great Western leaves Bristol, England on first transatlantic voyage. Other steamships had crossed the Atlantic, but were able to carry little more than the necessary coal and only made one crossing. The Great Western, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, carried freight and passengers on 87 crossings. Served as troop transport in Crimean War, scrapped August 1856.
1974
- Atlanta Braves rightfielder swats his 715th home run in a home game
in front of 53,000 at Atlanta Stadium, not to mention a Monday night television
audience, breaking Babe Ruth's lifetime record. Aaron had 755 home runs
to his credit when he retired in 1976, was inducted to the Baseball Hall
of Fame in 1982, and is now a BMW dealer in Union City, Georgia.
1988 - Televangelist Jimmy Swaggert, 52, was defrocked by the Assemblies of God following the disclosure of his involvement with a prostitute. Swaggert was ordered to stay off TV for a year, but returned under the leadership of black evangelist William J. Seymour, 38. It marked the beginning of the 3-year-long "Azusa Street Revival."
Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival), Japan - also called Kambutsu-e, the birthday of Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha. Celebrated by pouring a sweet tea made from hydrangea leaves over the head of a statue of the Buddha.
1605 - Philip IV, King of Spain from 1621 to 1665, also (as Phillip III) King of Portugal 1621 - 1640. Joined the losing side in the Thirty Years War, oversaw the end of Spanish military might. Great patron of the arts and letters in the time of El Greco, Valazquez, and Cervantes. Died 17 September 1605.
1850 - William Henry Welch, US physician, teacher. Developed the first pathology lab in the US, one of the four influential physician/instructors hired by Johns Hopkins to create the medical training program at Johns Hopkins University. Died 30 April 1934.
1918 - Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Ford, US health activist, wife of 38th US president Gerald Ford. Rebounding from personal encounters, Betty Ford has been active in support of breast cancer research and education, founded the Betty Ford Center for treatment of chemical dependency. Also active in the arts, with handicapped children, and other women's issues. With her husband was given the Congressional Gold Medal for "dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions."
A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a single hope.
- Epictetus
Baseball has the great advantage over cricket of being sooner ended.
- George Bernard Shaw
We forget ourselves and our destinies in health; and the chief use of
temporary sickness is to remind us of these concerns.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.
- Louisa May Alcott
Despite the warnings of the ancient Greeks - nothing in excess - there
are a few things in the world that you just can't have too much of. In
addition to currency, I would mention, in no particular order, health,
warm weather, ice-cream flavors, free time, second chances, and good taste.
- Joe McGarvey, Inter@ctive Week
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