First U.S. Patent for Mechanical Refrigeration Granted to John Gorrie
Poet involved
What happened
In 1851, Dr. John Gorrie of Florida received U.S. Patent No. 8080 for a mechanical ice-making machine, based on his earlier 1845 invention. Gorrie sought to cool hospital rooms for malaria patients, but his patent was largely ignored during his lifetime.
Literary impact
Gorrie's struggle for recognition became a story of neglected genius in American letters. Poets and writers of the late 19th century, including Walt Whitman, celebrated inventors like Gorrie as unsung heroes of progress.
Source: Wikipedia
