Medicine

2006 87¢ Distinguished Americans: Dr. Albert Sabin
August 26, 1906

Birth of Albert Sabin 

Albert Saperstein was born on August 26, 1906, in Białystok, Russian Empire (present-day Poland). Sabin developed one of the vaccines that helped to nearly eradicate polio worldwide.

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2008 41¢ American Scientists: Gerty Cori
August 15, 1896

Birth of Gerty Cori

Biochemist Gerty Theresa Radnitz Cori was born on August 15, 1896, in Prague, Austro-Hungarian Empire. She was the first woman to earn a Nobel Prize In Physiology or Medicine.

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1998 32¢ + 8¢ Breast Cancer Research Semi-Postal
July 29, 1998

First US Semipostal

On July 29, 1998, the USPS issued its first Semipostal stamp to fund breast cancer research. The stamp raised over $78 million and was the first of several US Semipostals to raise money for worthy causes.

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1976 13¢ Clara Maass
June 28, 1876

Happy Birthday Clara Maass

Nurse Clara Louise Maass was born on June 28, 1876, in East Orange, New Jersey.  Maass’s participation in the Army’s Yellow Fever Commission claimed her life, but also contributed to the discovery of a treatment for the dangerous disease.

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1989 $1 Great Americans: Johns Hopkins
May 19, 1795

Birth of Johns Hopkins 

Johns Hopkins was born on May 19, 1795, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. A successful businessman, he donated $7 million for the creation of schools and hospitals, the largest philanthropic gift in America up to that time.

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1998 32¢ Organ and Tissue Donation
February 14, 1998

National Donor Day

On February 14, 1998, the first National Donor Day was held in the US. The annual event is held to raise awareness of the need for organ and tissue donations and to honor those who have donated, those who have received donations, and those we lost before donations became available.

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1974 18¢ Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell
January 23, 1849

America’s First Female Doctor 

On January 23, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in America to graduate from medical school.

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2011 44¢ Severo Ochoa
September 24, 1905

Birth of Severo Ochoa

Severo Ochoa de Albornoz was born on September 24, 1905, in Luarca, Spain. Ochoa researched how cells build proteins like RNA, which earned him the Nobel Prize in 1956.

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 US #3432B – from the Distinguished Americans Series
November 30, 1900

Happy Birthday Mary Lasker

Health activist and philanthropist Mary Woodward Lasker was born on November 30, 1900, in Watertown, Wisconsin.

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