Table 1

Select milestones in the history of hematology before Blood started publication in 1946

YearDiscovery
1628 Discovery of the closed circulation of blood by Harvey 
1674 Description of RBCs by van Leeuwenhoek 
1770-4 Discovery of WBCs, fibrinogen, the first anticoagulant (Glauber’s salt), and the fundamentals of blood coagulation and lymphatic circulation by Hewson 
1818 First successful transfusion of human blood to a patient by Blundell 
1832 First description of Hodgkin disease by Hodgkin 
1840 First successful whole blood transfusion to treat hemophilia by Lane 
1852-76 Development of RBC and WBC counting by hemocytometer by multiple investigators 
1868 Discovery of the role of the bone marrow in hematopoiesis by Neumann and independently by Bizzozero 
1868 Virchow describes leukemia, thrombosis, and embolism 
1878 Blood cell staining developed by Ehrlich, followed by his identification of 3 types of granulocytes, mast cells, polychromatophilia, and megaloblasts 
1882 First description of phagocytosis by Metchnikoff 
1888 First description of the role of platelets in hemostasis and thrombosis by Bizzozero 
1901 Discovery of blood groups, A, B, AB, and O (C) by Landsteiner 
1903 First description of syndrome of polycythemia vera by Osler 
1904 First description of paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria by Donath and Landsteiner 
1910 First description of bleeding time assay and effectiveness of platelet transfusion to treat thrombocytopenia by Duke 
1910 First description of sickle cell disease by Herrick 
1915 Use of citrate to anticoagulant blood for transfusion optimized by Lewisohn 
1918 First description of Glanzmann thrombasthenia by Glanzmann 
1920 Classic description of infectious mononucleosis by Sprunt and Evans 
1924 First description of Felty syndrome (association of chronic arthritis, splenomegaly, and leukopenia) by Felty 
1925 First description of thalassemia by Cooley and Lee 
1926 First description of von Willebrand disease by von Willebrand 
1926 Classic report of liver as first effective treatment of pernicious anemia by Minot and Murphy 
1927 First description of Fanconi syndrome (pancytopenia, aplastic bone marrow, and physical anomalies) by Fanconi 
1929 Hematocrit technique refined by Wintrobe, along with introduction of RBC indices MCV, MCH, and MCHC 
1929 First description of sternal puncture to obtain bone marrow by Arinkin 
1929 Identification of role of intrinsic factor in pernicious anemia by Castle 
1934 Classification of anemias based on RBC indices by Wintrobe 
1935 Development of the PT by Quick 
1937 Identification of a globulin fraction of plasma as containing the antihemophiliac factor (later factor VIII) by Patek and Taylor 
1941 First description of the effect of warfarin on the PT in humans by Butt, Allen, and Bollman 
1944 First description of macroglobulinemia by Waldenström 
1945 The antihuman globulin test to identify “incomplete” antibodies developed by Coombs, Mourant, and Race 
1946 Multiple reports of efficacy of nitrogen mustard compounds in lymphoma and leukemia by groups led by Goodman, Gilman, Jacobson, and Rhoads 
YearDiscovery
1628 Discovery of the closed circulation of blood by Harvey 
1674 Description of RBCs by van Leeuwenhoek 
1770-4 Discovery of WBCs, fibrinogen, the first anticoagulant (Glauber’s salt), and the fundamentals of blood coagulation and lymphatic circulation by Hewson 
1818 First successful transfusion of human blood to a patient by Blundell 
1832 First description of Hodgkin disease by Hodgkin 
1840 First successful whole blood transfusion to treat hemophilia by Lane 
1852-76 Development of RBC and WBC counting by hemocytometer by multiple investigators 
1868 Discovery of the role of the bone marrow in hematopoiesis by Neumann and independently by Bizzozero 
1868 Virchow describes leukemia, thrombosis, and embolism 
1878 Blood cell staining developed by Ehrlich, followed by his identification of 3 types of granulocytes, mast cells, polychromatophilia, and megaloblasts 
1882 First description of phagocytosis by Metchnikoff 
1888 First description of the role of platelets in hemostasis and thrombosis by Bizzozero 
1901 Discovery of blood groups, A, B, AB, and O (C) by Landsteiner 
1903 First description of syndrome of polycythemia vera by Osler 
1904 First description of paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria by Donath and Landsteiner 
1910 First description of bleeding time assay and effectiveness of platelet transfusion to treat thrombocytopenia by Duke 
1910 First description of sickle cell disease by Herrick 
1915 Use of citrate to anticoagulant blood for transfusion optimized by Lewisohn 
1918 First description of Glanzmann thrombasthenia by Glanzmann 
1920 Classic description of infectious mononucleosis by Sprunt and Evans 
1924 First description of Felty syndrome (association of chronic arthritis, splenomegaly, and leukopenia) by Felty 
1925 First description of thalassemia by Cooley and Lee 
1926 First description of von Willebrand disease by von Willebrand 
1926 Classic report of liver as first effective treatment of pernicious anemia by Minot and Murphy 
1927 First description of Fanconi syndrome (pancytopenia, aplastic bone marrow, and physical anomalies) by Fanconi 
1929 Hematocrit technique refined by Wintrobe, along with introduction of RBC indices MCV, MCH, and MCHC 
1929 First description of sternal puncture to obtain bone marrow by Arinkin 
1929 Identification of role of intrinsic factor in pernicious anemia by Castle 
1934 Classification of anemias based on RBC indices by Wintrobe 
1935 Development of the PT by Quick 
1937 Identification of a globulin fraction of plasma as containing the antihemophiliac factor (later factor VIII) by Patek and Taylor 
1941 First description of the effect of warfarin on the PT in humans by Butt, Allen, and Bollman 
1944 First description of macroglobulinemia by Waldenström 
1945 The antihuman globulin test to identify “incomplete” antibodies developed by Coombs, Mourant, and Race 
1946 Multiple reports of efficacy of nitrogen mustard compounds in lymphoma and leukemia by groups led by Goodman, Gilman, Jacobson, and Rhoads 

MCH, mean corpuscular hemoglobin; MCHC, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration; MCV, mean corpuscular volume; PT, prothrombin time.

Close Modal

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal