Learn about ALS

History

1850	English scientist Augustus Waller describes the appearance of shriveled nerve fibers
1869	French doctor Jean-Martin Charcot first describes ALS in scientific literature.
1881	"On Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis" is translated into English and published in a three-volume edition of Lectures on the Diseases of the Nervous System
1939	ALS becomes a cause célèbre in the United States when baseball legend Lou Gehrig's career—and, two years later, his life—is ended by the disease. He gives his farewell speech on July 4.
1950s	ALS epidemic occurs among the Chamorro people on Guam
1991	Researchers link chromosome 21 to FALS (Familial ALS)
1993	SOD1 gene on chromosome 21 found to play a role in some cases of FALS
1996	Rilutek becomes the first FDA-approved drug for ALS
1998	The El Escorial criteria is developed as the standard for classifying ALS patient in clinical research

Information originated from Wikipedia.