Gorrie, << GOR ee, >> John (1802-1855), an American physician, invented the first machine for mechanical refrigeration patented in the United States. For most of his life, he practiced medicine in Apalachicola, Florida. There, he investigated the artificial cooling of sickrooms and hospitals, hoping to reduce the ravages of fever. In 1851, he patented an ice-making machine that was similar to modern refrigerators and air conditioners. Gorrie was born on Oct. 3, 1802, in Charleston, South Carolina. He attended the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons. Gorrie represents Florida in Statuary Hall, Washington, D.C. Gorrie died on June 29, 1855.
