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1897- Sexology
Henry Havelock Ellis led the development of sexology (the scientific study of sex) in Britain in the 1890s. At the time, scientific writings about sex were widely considered to be ‘obscene’ and homosexuality among men was illegal. Ellis was a supporter of sex education and birth control and published groundbreaking surveys on homosexuality and transgender identity to demonstrate their natural nature (Oosterhuis). -
1890- Founding of British Deaf Association
Francis Maginn became deaf after suffering scarlet fever as a child. In 1890 he proposed the need for an organised group in Britain to represent the ‘educational, moral and social interests’ of deaf people, who were often also without speech. The British Deaf and Dumb Association was set up that same year. The word ‘Dumb’ remained until as late as 1970. It was not until the 1980s that the Association had its first deaf Chair, Jack Young. -
1895- X rays are discovered
In 1895, Wilhelm Roentgen discovered a special form of electromagnetic radiation he called X-rays. For the first time, the inside of the body could be seen without cutting into it. This marked a revolution in diagnosis. His discovery made him world famous and he was awarded the first ever Noble prize for physics in 1901. The first picture Roentgen took using X-rays was of his wife Anna Bertha's hand, the image showed her bones and wedding ring (Brightman). -
1894- Discovery of adrenaline
Sharpey-Schafer became known as the founder of endocrinology (the study of hormones) following his discovery of adrenaline in 1894. Adrenaline is released by the body when we’re stressed. It causes the heart to race, pumping blood to the brain to focus the mind, and priming the muscles for ‘fight or flight’ – for rigorous or sudden action. Today, adrenaline is used in EpiPens to treat anaphylactic shock. Sharpey-Schafer’s work led to the discovery of insulin and a diabetes treatment (Zhuoxi). -
1897- Mosquitos Transmit Malaria
Ronald Ross discovered that malaria was transmitted by mosquitoes in 1897. Ross was awarded a nobel piece prize in 1902. Despite great advances in prevention, one child still dies of malaria every minute. nine out of every ten deaths from malaria occur in Africa (Tuno). -
1898- Discovery of Radium
Marie Curie worked with her husband Pierre to discover an amazing substance, which they called radium. Their breakthrough discovery would lead to new treatments for reducing tumours caused by cancer – known today as radiotherapy. Marie Curie became world famous and was the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize, along with Pierre. She was also the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris (Allzén). -
1909- cure for syphilis
Paul Ehrlich developed the theory that different chemicals could be used to target and kill the bacteria in the body of an unwell patient that was causing a particular disease. He called this the ‘magic bullet’ theory. He went on to carry out several experiments with a team of scientists that would prove he was right. In 1909, Ehrlich, and his assistant Sahachiro Hata, discovered that arsphenamine kills the bacteria that causes syphilis (Leeyaphan). -
1908- Old Age Pensions and National Health Insurance
William Beveridge advised the Liberal government on old age pensions and National Health Insurance. Pensions for people over 70 were introduced in 1908. National Insurance was introduced in 1911, providing a ‘safety net’ for the poorest people. Workers earning less than £160 per year now paid some of their wages into National Insurance schemes; their employers and the government also paid into the schemes. This money paid for sick leave and unemployment benefits (Dake). -
1910- Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud is known as the father of psychoanalysis and one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th century. His theories centre around the idea that our development is shaped by early experience, that thoughts and behaviours are driven largely by our ‘unconscious’ mind, and that these can be unlocked through methods such as skilled guidance, hypnosis and analysing dreams. Freud co-founded the International Psychoanalytical Association in Nuremberg in 1910 (Whomsley). -
1916- Savior of life and limb
Hugh Owen Thomas was an orthopedic (bone) surgeon who came from a family of bone setters. He combined the secrets and traditions of this, often brutal, practice with his medical knowledge to develop new treatments and devices. His most famous invention was the ‘Thomas splint’. It wasn’t until twenty-five years after his death that his splint became widely used, saving thousands of limbs and the lives of soldiers in the First World War (Wren). -
1917- Harold Gillies
Harold Gillies became known as the father of plastic surgery. During the First World War, thousands of men received horrific facial injuries from bullets, explosives and flying shrapnel which could literally rip a face apart. Men lucky enough to survive were often left disfigured - badly scarred and with parts of their faces missing. Gillies convinced the army to set up a special plastic surgery hospital in Kent (Bamji). -
1921- First Family Clinic in Britain
Marie Stopes was a campaigner for women’s rights and birth control. For poor families living in the early 1900s, ‘another mouth to feed’ often proved financially impossible, it was also still relatively common for women to die in childbirth. Being able, and having the right, to choose the number of children they had was a crucial issue for women (Bocking).