History of Allergy
| 2641 BC | Egyptian wall paintings document the first anaphylactic (shock) reaction: a pharaoh dies from an allergic reaction to a wasp sting. |
| 850-932 | Middle Eastern physician El-Razi describes allergic rhinitis (now called hay fever) for the first time. On the reason why people heads swell at the time of the roses and Produce catarrh (It was at that time called "rose fever." Actually rose pollen does not cause allergic rhinitis because roses are insect pollinated not wind pollinated. Allergic rhinitis is caused by wind pollinated plants.) |
| 1100 AD | The first description of asthma is offered by Maimonides, a Jewish philosopher-physician c. 1138-1204. |
| 1565 | Leonardo Botallo was the first Western physician to describe allergic rhinitis. He called it rose catarrh, rose fever, or rose catarrh. |
| 1656 | Pierre Borel performed first allergy test by applying egg to a patient’s skin to demonstrate egg allergy. |
| 1819 | John Babcock (English physician) describes "hay fever" as a disease of the upper respiratory tract. |
| 1890 | Pollen is identified as a cause of hay fever by Charles Blackly. |
| 1911 | Noon and Freeman describe allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots) Sir Henry Dale identifies the role of histamine in the mechanism of allergy |
| 1937 | Daniel Bover synthesized the first antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine). |
| 1968 | Ishizaka and Johansson identify Immunoglobulin E (IgE), a protein that is found in increased amounts in patients with allergies. IgE is responsible for the allergic reaction that causes the allergy symptoms. Dutch scientists discover the connection between the dust mite and allergies. |
| 1980 | First non-drowsy antihistamine Seldane came on the market. |
| 1970 | Inhalers to relieve wheezing introduced Inhaled corticosteroids are discovered as way to expand asthma therapy and to better control asthma. |
| 1990 | New class of drugs called leukotrienes approved for asthma treatment |
| 2000 | Loratadine (brand name: Claritin) approved for over-the-counter use in USA. |
| 2007 | Research continues for novel treatments to control allergies and asthma. |
