On this day: May 8

The First Documented Study of Contagious Laughter, May 8, 1962

On May 8, 1962, researchers published one of the earliest formal accounts of contagious laughter in a clinical setting, documenting how bouts of laughter spread among patients and staff and raising questions about social and neurological triggers.

May 8, 1934: Early Recorded Case of Systematic Cult Indoctrination

On May 8, 1934, observers documented what scholars later described as one of the first well-recorded instances of systematic mass indoctrination by a closed religious movement, marking a shift in how authorities and researchers recognized organized psychological control tactics.

Restoration London: Officials Announce Great Fire Extinguished

After weeks of smoldering ruins and salvage efforts, authorities in Restoration-era London officially declared the Great Fire extinguished on May 8 (year uncertain), marking the transition from emergency response to rebuilding and regulation.

Restoration London: The Great Fire Officially Declared Extinguished

On 8 May 1667 authorities declared the Great Fire of London extinguished, ending the immediate danger though leaving much of the city in ruins and beginning a long period of rebuilding and legal dispute over property and responsibility.

First patient discharged after use of an implanted cardiac pacemaker

On May 8, 1958, the first recorded patient to receive an implanted cardiac pacemaker was discharged from hospital after postoperative recovery, marking an early milestone in permanent cardiac pacing.