On this day in:

1781 John Turberville Needham died (born Sept 10, 1713). He was an English naturalist, and one of those who believed in the spontaneous generation of life. He boiled some mutton broth, sealed it in glass containers and when he found living organisms present after a few days, he believed they came from nonliving matter. He was wrong - boiling does not destroy all bacterial and fungal spores.

1817 The first coffee is planted in Hawaii.

1851 Asa Griggs Candler was born.  In 1887, Asa Candler (1851-1929) a wholesale druggist, purchased the formula for Coca-Cola from John S. Pemberton an Atlanta pharmacist for $ 2,300.  He sold the company in 1919 for $25 million.

1853 The U.S. acquired almost 30,000 square miles of territory (now southern New Mexico & southern Arizona) from Mexico for 10 million dollars with the signing of the Gadsen Purchase (Treaty of La Mesilla).

1937 Alain Chapel was born (died July 10, 1990).  French Master Chef and restaurateur.  His restaurant, Alain Chapel, was awarded its 3rd Michelin star in 1973 and maintained it throughout his life. Chapel is considered one of the originators of 'Nouvelle Cuisine.'

1972 At 86 feet, the highest instrumentally recorded wave was logged by the British 'Weather Reporter' ship in the North Atlantic near Iceland.

1980 The Selective Service system sent a warning to Mr. Mickey Mouse (the cartoon mouse) at Disneyland in California, informing him that he was in violation of registration compliance.  Disneyland sent in his registration proving he was 52 years old.

1982 A second full moon occurred during the month ( a 'blue moon').  What makes this one even more unusual was that it was also a total lunar eclipse in the U.S.  (A 'blue moon' occurs once every 2.7 years).

2003 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the dietary supplement ephedra after more than 150 deaths and thousands of adverse reaction had been reported.

2003 The FDA banned the use of 'downer' cattle from the human food supply, due to ‘Mad Cow’ fears.