Medical milestones, landmark publications, and notable births and deaths associated with April 7.

Events

1853 – John Snow (1813-1858) administered chloroform to Queen Victoria during the birth of Prince Leopold, recording that she “expressed great relief” from its effect

The first stage of labour was nearly over when the chloroform was commenced. Her Majesty expressed great relief from the application, the pains being very trifling during the uterine contractions, and whilst between the periods of contraction there was complete ease. The effect of the chloroform was not at any time carried to the extent of quite removing consciousness.

John Snow, 1853 (p 271)

1948 – The World Health Organization (WHO) was formally born when its Constitution entered into force on April 7, 1948, creating the UN’s first specialised health agency and committing to “the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.” The day is celebrated as World Health Day, first observed in 1950

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Births

1861 – Ernest Septimus Reynolds (1861-1926), English physician; first described Mees lines (Reynolds lines) in 1901

1887 – Jens Einar Meulengracht (1887–1976), Danish physician; provided early description of Gilbert syndrome (1900), Meulengracht ikterus index (1919), Meulengracht diet (1934), and Holst-Meulengracht disease (1945)

1907 – Friedrich Wegener (1907-1990), German pathologist; described ‘Wegener granulomatosis’ (Granulomatosis with polyangiitis)

1916 – Peter Gordon Lawrence Essex-Lopresti (1916-1951), British orthopaedic surgeon; described Essex-Lopresti fracture (1951)

1939 – Anne-Marie de Barsy (1939 – ), Belgian neurologist; described de Barsy syndrome (1968)

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Deaths

1625 – Adriaan van den Spiegel (1578-1625), Flemish anatomist and botanist; described Spigelian Line (linea semilunaris), Spigelian Fascia, Spigelian Hernia (1764), Spiegel’s Lobe (Caudate Lobe of the Liver) and Spigelia (Plant Genus)

1949 – Walther Müller (1888–1949), German orthopedic surgeon; described Müller-Weiss syndrome (MWS) (1927) and Müller-Ribbing-Clément syndrome (1939) 

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Further reading

• Gostin LO, Chirwa DM, Clark H, Habibi R, Kümmel B, Mahmood J, Meier BM, Mpanju-Shumbusho W, Reddy KS, Waris A, Were MK. The WHO’s 75th anniversary: WHO at a pivotal moment in history. BMJ Glob Health. 2023 Apr;8(4):e012344.
• World Health Day. WHO