Timeline of United States discoveries 4–6, 1942 and the decisive turning point of the Pacific War when the United States Navy defeated an attack by the Empire of Japan. First known as "Middlebrooks Islands", Midway Atoll was discovered by U.S. Captain N.C. Brooks aboard his ship, "Gambia", on July 8, 1859. 1859 Petroleum jelly Petroleum jelly, petrolatum or soft paraffin is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties. The raw material for petroleum jelly was discovered in 1859 by Robert Chesebrough, a chemist from New York. In 1870, this product was branded as Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. 1873
Coffee jelly dessert never gained widespread popularity outside of New England. Today, coffee jelly may still be found in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and other New England states. Durgin-Park restaurant in Boston, which opened in 1827, still offers coffee gelatin made with leftover coffee from the previous day. Japanese coffee jelly was developed during the Taishō period (1912–1926) in imitation of European molded jellies. It appealed to modern young men with tastes for Western fashion and rose in popularity along with café culture. Coffee jelly has remained popular in Japan and is still widely available. Starbucks launched a coffee jelly frappuccino in Japan