Earle Dickson | |
|---|---|
) Earle Dickson as a young man | |
| Born | October 10, 1892 Grandview, Tennessee |
| Died | September 21, 1961 (aged 68) Kitchener, Canada |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse(s) | Josephine Knight |
| Engineering career | |
| Institutions | Johnson & Johnson |
| Projects | BAND-AID adhesive bandages |
Earle Dickson (October 10, 1892—September 21, 1961) was an American inventor best known for inventing adhesive bandages in the US. He lived in Highland Park, New Jersey, for a large portion of his life.
Biography
Dickson was a cotton buyer at the Johnson & Johnson company.[1] His wife, Josephine Knight, often cut herself while doing housework and cooking.[2] Dickson found that gauze placed on a wound with tape did not stay on her active fingers. In 1920, he placed squares of gauze in intervals on a roll of tape, held in place with crinoline.[2] James Wood Johnson, his boss, liked the idea, and put it into production. In 1924, Johnson & Johnson installed machines to mass-produce the once handmade bandages. Following the commercial success of his design, Dickson was promoted to vice president.
References
- ^ Antonelli, Paola (2005) Humble masterpieces: everyday marvels of design HarperCollins, New York, page 175, ISBN 0-06-083831-0
- ^ a b Staff (1964) "The Story Behind Band-Aid Brand" Changing Times; The Kiplinger Magazine December 1964: p. 32
External links
- The story as told by Johnson & Johnson
- Earle Dickson from the Lemuelson-MIT Program