I love modern medical technology! There are people in my family who wouldn't be with us today without the miracles of modern medicine and the people who bring these breakthroughs to pass.  

Did you know that demands of World War II brought about a new age of medical science? Well, it's true!! And we still benefit from many of these innovations today!!

Here are some medical science advancements from the 1940's. 

• The first kidney dialysis machine.
• World War II research efforts brought about the miracle drugs penicillin and the sulfonamides.
• Rh factor in blood was discovered by a team of researchers at the Rockefeller Institute.
• In 1941 Red Cross  begin the National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the U.S. military and by 1949 the U.S. blood system is comprised of 1,500 hospital blood banks, 46 community blood centers, and 31 American Red Cross regional blood centers.
• The first vaccine for influenza.
• The first defibrillator was invented.
• Acetaminophen was discovered.  
• Plastic contact lenses were discovered.
• In 1949 nitrogen mustard became the first drug to receive FDA approval as a treatment of cancer.

It's highly likely one of these innovators from the 1940's had an influence on a life you know and love.  A window into the lives of these people and millions of others will be open when the 1940 US Census is finally available to the public. Please consider joining the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project as we work together to index names from this exciting census. Click here for more information.  

As part of the1940census.com ambassador program this blog post enters me into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card.

In the News 1940's: Computers

While the War took up much of the news of the 1940's a very important piece of equipment was being developed, the Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer.   This early computer was designed to calculate

ballistic firing tables during World War II.  It was so huge it filled a room.  

Isn't it amazing, now we have handheld computers!!  

Cpl. Irwin Goldstein (foreground) sets the switches on one of the ENIAC's function tables at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering. (U.S. Army photo)

Just think in your hand you can hold a computer and help to Index the 1940 US Census.  Without an Index, it would be like looking for the proverbial "needle in a haystack" to find names of family members.  Whose name will you find in the 1940 US Census?  Who will you be helping to find a name by making sure it is indexed?  I hope you consider joining me in the 1940 Census Community Project.  This is something that will  certainly be making the News!! Records will be released in 26 days!!

The Yankee Clipper

"Joltin' Joe " DiMaggio was definitely someone to look up too. He was a famous baseball player who set the incredible record of a 56 game hitting streak from May 15th to July 16th in 1941. Here is what Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, said after the death of Joe DiMaggio in March 8 1999.

“All of baseball is deeply saddened by the passing of the Yankee Clipper—Joe DiMaggio. For several generations of baseball fans, Joe was the personification of grace, class and dignity on the baseball diamond…As an immigrant’s son, he represented the hopes and ideals of our great country. Joe DiMaggio was a hero in the truest sense of the word.”

Photograph shows Joe DiMaggio, of the New York Yankees, wearing suit, sitting in a chair, facing slightly right, about to kiss his signature baseball bat. Sporting News.  15 December 1941. Original copyright 1941 by The Sporting News Pub. Co. No known restrictions on publication. No renewal in Copyright office (checked 3/17/88).  Library of Congress

Rumors fly in my family that Joe DiMaggio was a distant cousin of my mom's.   What is it that makes us want to be related to the famous??  Do we hope to have the fame and fortune for ourselves?  Or do we need others to look up to, or to have their example to emulate in our life?  

Seven of the American League's 1937 All-Star players, from left to right Lou Gehrig, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Gehringer, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg. All seven would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame.  From Wikipedia

As far as I can tell there if there is a NOT relation between Joe's DiMaggio's line and mine, if there is it very very very distant!!  My DiMaggio line is from Terracina, Italy a town about an hour south of Rome.  And Joe's family is from Sicily.  Still I get excited whenever I see the surname DiMaggio. People can travel and well...you just never know!!

The 1940 U.S. Census will have the famous and not so famous listed among it's pages.  Who are you interested to find? Everyone's in it!! Is the person you are looking for  famous or not so famous?   

Would you consider helping with the 1940 US Census Community Project?   It's fun, fascinating and you never know what famous person you will discover.  I hope you join me in this great project!!   Click here for more info. Let's hit it over the ballpark!!

Are You In It??

I am NOT in it! But, I am going to be looking for people who hopefully are in it!! The people I am most excited to find would be my husband's grandfather and his family. You see, they have totally disappeared in the 1930 census! We can't find them anywhere! And apparently there is a mystery sister. Now wouldn't she be great to find!!

If you are interested in the 1940 U.S. census please consider helping FamilySearch to Index the information. It's fun and it's super easy!! It doesn't have to take up a lot of your time!  Just a little bit everyday helps!  The information you help index will be made available for free to anyone to view. How awesome is that!! The more people who help Index the faster the information will get out. I hope you join me in this great activity. It is always wonderful to work on something bigger than ourselves. And this is huge!! Go to http://the1940census.com for more information.