By Richard T. Cartwright, PE, CHMM, (IHMM, AHMP and APICS) Fellow
The saying, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it” is more than a cliché. It is a reminder that we must constantly be learning from the past. Here’s a look back at major historical events that happened today in the world of hazardous materials.
July 19, 1923
Frederick Banting, Canadian physician, and J.J.R. Macleod, Scottish biochemist and physiologist, were awarded a Nobel Prize for practical extraction of insulin. Note: Insulin is not a cure, but a remedy for diabetes. It has saved many lives caused by the disease and alleviated much suffering. Insulin effects are only temporary, leaving the fundamental condition of the disease unchanged in the body.
July 19, 1979
Two supertankers collided during a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea. Twenty-six crew members died and 280,000 tons of crude oil was spilled.
July 19, 1957
Alaska Territory’s first commercial oilfield was discovered on the Swanson River on the Kenai Peninsula (south of Anchorage). Giant Prudhoe Bay oilfield on Alaska’s North Slope was discovered a decade later.
First rocket with a nuclear warhead was fired at Yucca Flat, Nevada.
July 19, 1912
A meteorite weighing 190 kg (419 pounds) exploded over Holbrook, Ariz. causing an estimated 16,000 pieces of debris to rain down on the town.
July 19, 1865
Charles Mayo, American surgeon and philanthropist, was born. In the small, rural town of Rochester, Minn., he and his family started a clinic that would eventually draw patients from around the world.
July 19, 1814
Samuel Colt, American firearms manufacturer, was born. He popularized the Colt 45 revolver. While an apprentice seaman, he made a wooden model of an automatically revolving breech pistol (perhaps inspired by the ship’s wheel). His factory was one of the most innovative in its use of mass-production techniques. His P. T. Barnum-like salesmanship and self-promotion popularized his product.
Historical hazardous materials management events are posted 365 days a year at this LinkedIn discussion group.
