April 5, 1827: Birth of Joseph Lister. He was born in Upton House, Essex, England on April 5, 1827 and died on February 10, 1912. His life covered the entire span of the harshest debates over the germ theory of disease and its general acceptance. Lister completed his medical education including attendance at the Royal […]

via April 5, 1827: Birth of Joseph Lister — This Day in Water History

March 13, 1914: Death (in Paterson, NJ) of John L. Leal, physician and water treatment expert who pioneered chlorine disinfection in the U.S. There are many unsung heroes who contributed significantly to public health at the turn of the 20thcentury. John L. Leal is one of them and after reading this, I think you will […]

via March 13, 1914: Death of John L. Leal — This Day in Water History

December 21, 1868: Birth of George Warren Fuller in Franklin, Massachusetts. George Warren Fuller was, quite simply, the greatest sanitary engineer of his time, and his time was long—lasting from 1895 to 1934. In truth, we have not seen his like since. How did he reach the pinnacle of his field? What early influences led […]

via December 21, 1868: Birth of George Warren Fuller — This Day in Water History

December 5, 1782: Martin Van Buren, 8thPresident of the U.S., is born. In the collective mind of “Mental Floss,” Van Buren is famous for his toilet. “When he lost his 1840 reelection bid in a landslide to war hero William Henry Harrison—Van Buren picked up only six states in the electoral college, and not even […]

via December 5, 1782: Van Buren’s Toilet; 1974: 60 Minutes—Drinking Water Dangerous; 1926: Claude Monet Dies — This Day in Water History

July 30, 2018: Article in Scottish Construction Now—260-year-old Wooden Water Pipes Unearthed in Edinburgh. “Workers have unearthed rare 260-year-old wooden water pipes during a dig in Edinburgh. Fifteen pieces of the elm piping were unearthed during excavation work at George Square, where a new underground heating system is being built by the University of Edinburgh […]

via July 30, 2018: Wooden Water Pipes in Edinburgh; 1982: Surgeon General Koop discusses fluoride; 1894: Jersey City’s Contaminated Water Supply — This Day in Water History