Eighty-eight years ago, Earle Dickson, an employee of Johnson & Johnson invented the band-aid. Dickson wanted to find a better bandage for his wife who was constantly getting small cuts on her fingers while she was working in the kitchen. Composed of a piece of tape, a small piece of gauze on the tape, and some crinoline to keep the whole thing sterile, the simple band-aid would eventually become a staple in most households in America. Seriously, how annoying would it be if you had to go back to the old way of things, cutting gauze and medical tape to fit your cut? Now, you can just pick the right size band-aid to fit your needs out of a box of assorted sizes. Here is a modern day commercial for Dickson's invention.
Credits:
Bellis, Mary. "History of the Band-Aid." About.com. <http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventions/a/bandaid.htm>. 13 June 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s34b8T44514 (video)
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What would we do without the band aid? It’s a practical invention that can be carried anywhere. Every day, people get little cuts, covering your arm or leg with a large bandage wouldn’t be sufficient. Its fascinating how such a little band aid is able to absorb a lot of blood. Earle Dickson, the inventor of the band aid, has changed the way the world medicated little bruises and cuts. Taking a piece of gauze and adding it to the middle of the tape, and covering it with crinoline in order for the product to remain sterile.
ReplyDeleteI think band aid is one of the greatest innovations ever created. This tiny little object has an extraordinary power of healing small wounds, protection from an infection from the infected wound, and so much more. Now days we do not go to hospitals for a small cut, we simply put a band aid on and let it do all the work for you. This is a most convenient, effective, and inexpensive way of treating small injuries. Band is a remarkable object and it’ll always be one, even though later in future they could have a greater medical innovations.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great example of getting something right the first time. I’m sure there have been advancements with materials and adhesives in the past 88 years, but a band-aid is basically a band-aid. They’ve changed the sizes, shapes, and colors but not much else.
ReplyDeleteNasal strips are just a variation of the band-aid technology. It’s a similar concept adapted to service a different need.
The incredible,yet simple Bandaid is indeed a simple marvel of past scientific developments. The Bandaid has protected generations of people from contamination of open wounds. It is a symbol of how a simple idea can benefit society and create wealth for the manufactuer. Don't you wish you had thought of it first?
ReplyDeleteArtists have added their touch to the bandage over the years. Our seeping wounds can now be concealed by the likeness of "Snoopy" or "Barbie", further soothing our pain.
It seems almost impossible to imagine how anyone in today's society could not have a band aid in their home, especially someone such as myself who never knew what to do if band aids were not around but the truth is is that there was a time when band aids were not all nice and packed away in medicine cabinets but rather had to be made out of tape and gauze pads. 100 years ago, people did not have the conveniences that we currently have today in society. It will be interesting to reflect what new inventions will be made say fifty years from now that we can look back on and have a laugh about.
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