Air Conditioning [UPDATED]

: In the 1840s, Dr. John Gorrie tried to cool yellow fever patients using compressed air to make ice. He was mocked by the press as a "crank" who thought he could "make ice... as good as God Almighty".

Before this breakthrough, attempts to stay cool were often desperate or dangerous: AIR CONDITIONING

: Thousands of years ago, Egyptians hung wet reeds in windows so the breeze would cool the air through evaporation. History of Air Conditioning - Department of Energy : In the 1840s, Dr