Before the middle of the19th century, only the scientists who worked in laboratories used to wear LAB COATS which were beige (a pale-pinkish-yellow color). In the middle of the 19th century, science (Laboratory scientists) had damaged the prestige of medicine (physicians) by demonstrating that the so called CURES by medicine were worthless, thus convicting the then physicians as QUACKS. While scientists were admired by public and rulers, physicians were distrusted at that time. So the medical  profession turned to science. Thus physicians decided to become scientists. After all, it was thought, the laboratories inventions could certainly provide breakthrough advances in curing disease. Physicians, seeking to represent themselves as scientists, thus adopted the scientific lab coat as their standard of dress. And the physicians began to wear the most recognizable symbol of the scientist, the  laboratory coat in the year 1889AD. When lab coats ( originally beige colored) were adopted by the medical profession, they preferred the color of their coat to be white. The modern white coat was introduced to medicine in Canada by Dr. George Armstrong (1855–1933) who was a surgeon at the Montreal General Hospital and President of the Canadian Medical Association.

Keywords: Apron; White coat; Physician; White coat hypertension; White coat ceremony.