The first devices recognizable as hypodermic syringes were independently invented virtually simultaneously in 1853 by Scottish physician Alexander Wood and French surgeon Charles Gabriel Pravaz. These were first used to inject morphine as a painkiller.

Who invented the hypodermic?

Alexander Wood: inventor of the hypodermic syringe and needle.

Why was the hypodermic needle important in 1853?

However, it wasn't until 1853 that Charles Gabriel Pravaz and Alexander Wood developed a needle fine enough to pierce the skin. The syringe was the first device used to inject morphine as a painkiller. The breakthrough also eliminated many of the technical difficulties facing those experimenting with blood transfusion.