On this day: March 17
The 1883 Bradford Sweets Poisoning: Early Large-Scale Food Contamination in Britain
On March 17, 1883, in Bradford, England, dozens of people fell ill after consuming sweets adulterated with toxic substances—one of the earliest well-documented mass poisonings linked to commercially sold foodstuffs in Britain.
March 17, 1901: First documented mass deaths linked to a patent medicine
On March 17, 1901, a single incident tied to a commercial patent medicine led to multiple fatalities, prompting early public alarm about unregulated remedies and fueling calls for oversight of ingredients and labeling.
1933: The first documented deaths tied to a prescription weight-loss drug
On March 17, 1933, physicians linked fatalities to a prescribed weight-loss medication—one of the earliest documented cases showing that slimming drugs could carry lethal risks, prompting scrutiny of pharmacological approaches to obesity.
First successful submarine attack sinks a ship in 1864
On March 17, 1864, during the U.S. Civil War, the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley successfully attacked and sank the Union sloop USS Housatonic off Charleston harbor — the first time a submarine sank an enemy warship in combat, though the Hunley itself was lost soon after.
London's First Recorded Plague Quarantine Enforcement, 17 March 1665
On 17 March 1665, London authorities issued and enforced one of the earliest surviving municipal quarantine orders during the Great Plague, marking a decisive municipal intervention to isolate infected households and restrict movement to limit contagion.
World Health Authorities Declare 1918–20 Influenza Pandemic Over
On March 17, 1920, public health officials in several countries recognized that the global influenza emergency associated with the 1918–20 pandemic had abated, as excess mortality fell to near‑prepandemic levels and large, sustained waves of new cases ceased.
Public Debut of the First Practical Color Photography Process, March 17, 1904
On March 17, 1904, a public demonstration showcased the first practical method for producing continuous-tone color photographs, marking a milestone in photographic technology and public awareness of color imaging.