Autoimmune Diseases — Historical Milestones & Recognition Growth

An interactive timeline combining (1) a coarse count of recognized autoimmune diseases at key survey years and (2) curated historical milestones, including early clinical descriptions, later proof of autoimmune mechanisms, and retrospectively-attributed cases. Hover or tap points for details, and scroll the list for sources.

Notes: Counts are approximate, derived from widely cited surveys (e.g., Jacobson 1997 used 24 conditions; Hayter & Cook 2012 listed 81). Early clinical descriptions long predate proof of autoimmunity. Several entries are marked as retrospective or subgroup to indicate later autoimmune attribution or autoimmune signals in a subset. This page focuses on autoimmune history; a wireless‑exposure overlay can be added later without changing the data model.

Suggested sources: Jacobson et al. 1997; Hayter & Cook 2012; classic disease descriptions (Landré‑Beauvais 1800; Graves 1835; Charcot 1868; Hashimoto 1912); mechanistic landmarks (Witebsky postulates; Rose/Witebsky experimental autoimmunity); myasthenia gravis history (Willis 1672, AChR antibodies 1976); Sydenham chorea history (1686; post‑streptococcal autoimmune).