John Gorrie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Gorrie
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Statue of John Gorrie, National Statuary Hall Collection
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| Born | October 3, 1803 |
| Died | June 29, 1855 (aged 52) Apalachicola, Florida, U.S.
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| Occupation | Physician, scientist, inventor |
John B. Gorrie (born October 3, 1803 – died June 29, 1855) was an American doctor and scientist. He was born on the island of Nevis. Many people know him as the inventor of the first mechanical refrigeration system.
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Early Life and Medical Work
John Gorrie was born on October 3, 1803, on the island of Nevis. His parents were from Scotland. He grew up in South Carolina. He studied medicine at a college in Fairfield, New York.
In 1833, Dr. Gorrie moved to Apalachicola, Florida. This was a busy port city on the Gulf coast. He worked as a doctor at two hospitals there. He also helped out a lot in the community. He served as a council member and postmaster. He was also one of the people who helped start Trinity Episcopal Church.
Dr. Gorrie spent time studying tropical diseases. He was especially interested in yellow fever. At that time, many people thought that bad air caused diseases. This was called the Miasma theory. Because of this idea, Dr. Gorrie suggested draining swamps. He also thought cooling sickrooms would help patients.
To cool rooms, he would hang a basin of ice from the ceiling. The cool air, which is heavier, would flow down. It would go over the patient and out through an opening near the floor. This was an early form of air conditioning.
Experiments with Artificial Cooling
Since ice had to be brought by boat from far away, Dr. Gorrie started trying to make his own ice. He wanted to find a way to create artificial ice.
He successfully made ice using a machine in 1844. After 1845, Dr. Gorrie stopped practicing medicine. He wanted to focus completely on his refrigeration ideas. By 1850, he could regularly make ice in the shape of bricks.
On May 6, 1851, Dr. Gorrie received a Patent for his ice-making machine. The patent number was 8080. You can see the original model of his machine at the Smithsonian Institution. He also wrote scientific articles about his work.
Another inventor, Jacob Perkins, had received patents for making ice in England and Scotland in 1835. Perkins is sometimes called "the father of the refrigerator."
Dr. Gorrie tried to get money to build his machines. But his business partner died, and the plan failed. He faced a lot of criticism and lost all his money. His health also got worse. Dr. Gorrie died quietly on June 29, 1855. He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery.
Dr. Gorrie's cooling ideas were even used later. In 1881, when President James A. Garfield was very sick, engineers built a special cooling system. They used a box filled with cloths soaked in melted ice water. Blowing hot air over these wet cloths made the room temperature drop by 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The problem with this method was the same one Dr. Gorrie faced. It needed a huge amount of ice to keep the room cool all the time. Still, it was an important moment in the history of air conditioning. It showed that Dr. Gorrie's ideas were correct. He just couldn't make them work on a large scale. The first practical refrigeration system was built by James Harrison in Australia in 1854.
Honoring John Gorrie
Many places and things are named after Dr. John Gorrie:
- In Apalachicola, there is a place called Gorrie Square. It has his grave, a monument, and the John Gorrie State Museum.
- The John Gorrie Bridge crosses Apalachicola Bay. It connects Apalachicola with Eastpoint.
- In 1914, the state of Florida gave a statue of Gorrie to the National Statuary Hall Collection. This collection is in Washington, D.C.
- Two schools are named after him: John Gorrie Junior High School (now apartments) in Jacksonville and John Gorrie Elementary School in Tampa.
- The John Gorrie Dog Park opened in Jacksonville, FL, in 2016.
- A World War II Liberty Ship called SS John Gorrie was named in his honor.
- The John Gorrie Award is given each year to a top student at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
See also
In Spanish: John Gorrie para niños
- Cooling technology
