History of cow’s milk allergy

Allergic reactions to food affecting the gastrointestinal tract have been known since ancient times. 

Hippocrates (460-370 BC) was among the first to report the adverse effects of cow’s milk, including hives and gastrointestinal disorders.

He observed that cow’s milk caused gastrointestinal symptoms as well as urticaria and that some infants led cow’s milk developed prolonged diarrhea, vomiting and failure to thrive that resolved only after removal of cowls milk from their diet.

Galen described allergy to goat’s milk in 130 AD.

In 1745 Charles Edward Stuart, the pretender to the English throne, was reputed to have ‘bloody influx’ due to milk which could have been allergic colitis.

Since 1905 there have been reports in the modern literature recognizing allergic response to cow’s milk. It was not until 1901 in Germany and 1916 in America, that scientists began formally documenting cow’s milk allergy.

Reports on adverse reactions to cow’s milk protein were published in Germany literature. In these reports adverse reactions to cow’s milk were described as ‘idiosyncrasy’.

Wernstedt, in Sweden, was probably the first to refer such reactions as allergy.

In 1942 A.F.R. Anderson proposed food allergy and especially milk, as a cause of ulcerative colitis.

In 1950 researchers performed the first blind, placebo-controlled study of milk allergy. By 1956, using microscopes, scientists were able to view how cow’s milk proteins and those from other foods, can induce an immune system response.
History of cow’s milk allergy