- Band-Aid
Band-Aid is the
brand name for Johnson & Johnson's line ofadhesive bandage s and related products. However, much of the consuming public in theUnited States ,India ,Canada ,Brazil andAustralia uses the term "band-aid" generically, to refer to any suchadhesive bandage s (seegenericized trademark ). [For example, "band-aid" appears as a generic term in "The Dangerous Book for Boys " by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden; see [http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/excerpts/2007-06-18-dangerous-book-for-boys_N.htm excerpts published by USA Today] .] Such bandages are better known in many parts of the world as an 'adhesive plaster', 'sticking plaster' or simply 'plaster'.The phrase "Band-aid" has also entered usage as a term for any temporary fix. (e.g. "Band-aid solutions were used to fix the leak".")
History
The Band-Aid was invented in 1920 by
Earle Dickson , an employee of Johnson & Johnson, for his wife Josephine, who frequently cut and burned herself while cooking. [ [http://www.band-aid.com/brandHeritage.jsp BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages Beginnings] ] [Instead, he took the gauze and placed it in the center of the tape and covered it withcrinoline to keep it sterile and safe.] The prototype product allowed his wife to dress her wounds without assistance. Dickson, aHighland Park, New Jersey , resident at the time, passed the idea on to his employer who then went on to produce and market the product as the Band-Aid. Dickson had a successful career at Johnson & Johnson eventually becoming a Vice President before his retirement in 1957.The first bandages produced were hand-made and not very popular. By 1924, Johnson & Johnson introduced the first machine that produced sterilized Band-Aids. In
World War II , millions of Band-Aid bandages were shipped overseas.In 1951 the first decorative Band-Aids were introduced to the market. They continue to be a commercial success today with decorative themes such as Superman, Spiderman,
SpongeBob SquarePants , Smiley Faces, and Batman.Johnson & Johnson makes a variety of different products under the Band-Aid brand. These include Band-Aid liquid bandages and Scar Healing bandages. Their newest products include Active Flex bandages, which come in a variety of shapes, forming a fluid-filled barrier to help wounds heal faster. They also include waterproof Tough Strips, which have a strong adhesive, allowing for longer wear. In addition to wound treatment bandages, the company produces Burn-Aid, a burn gel which is applied as a prepackaged bandage. In order to protect the name as a registered trademark, the product is always referred to as "Band-Aid Brand" and not just Band-Aid.
References
External links
* [http://www.bandaid.com/ Band-Aid Brand Official Website]
* [http://www.bandaid.com/brandHeritage.jsp Band-Aid Brand History]
* [http://www.jnjfirstaid.com Johnson & Johnson First Aid Website]
* [http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/dickson.html Inventor of the Week - Earle Dickson] from the Lemuelson-MIT Program
* [http://www.bandaidqueen.com/ Page containing a large collection of Band-Aids from all over]
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