About Johns Hopkins: More than a century of Johns Hopkins breakthroughs Since 1889, Johns Hopkins has stood at the forefront of modern medicine, speeding the transfer of new knowledge from the laboratory to the patient's bedside. Johns Hopkins White Papers and Bulletins take it the next step, delivering the news directly to your home. 1897 – First American use of X-rays in surgery 1913 – First model of renal dialysis 1915 – Discovery of heparin, the drug used to prevent blood clots during heart surgery 1944 – First "blue baby" operation ushers in the era of heart surgery 1958 – CPR used for the first time 1960s – Pioneering work bone marrow transplantation 1969 – First use of laser to prevent blindness 1971 – First total knee replacement 1978 – Johns Hopkins scientists win Nobel Prize for discovery of restriction enzymes 1982 – Nerve-sparing surgery for prostate cancer 1984 – First use of genetically engineered t-PA to stop a heart attack 1998 – Discovery of a genetic alteration with potential to help predict new colon cancers before they begin 2000 – First use of stem cell grafts to restore movement to paralyzed limbs of animals, a major advance in overcoming paralysis in humans 2000 – Identified key enzyme in brain that forms a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease 2003 – Johns Hopkins physician wins the Nobel Prize for discovery of aquaporins 2004 – Created new surgical technique even less invasive than standard laparoscopy For more information about Johns Hopkins, click on this link. It will open a new browser window. About Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Medical Disclaimer