i cut my finger 🔪

First things first: don't panic, I'm fine.

So last night, I was feeling all chef-like, trying to level up my pasta game. I'd finally bought a proper chopping board after years of doing it by hand.

Turns out, upgrading your tools doesn't automatically upgrade your skills.

One distracted moment later, and there I was, with a tiny but surprisingly annoying cut on my finger.

Nothing dramatic – just a little nick – but you'd think I'd sliced off a whole digit based on how much it stung. Oops.

I quickly rinsed it under water – big mistake aaaaaaa!

That little cut burned like I'd dipped it in lava.

Why does water make tiny cuts feel like major injuries? After hopping around the kitchen saying words I can't repeat in this newsletter, I headed to the pharmacy for proper band-aids.

As I wrapped my finger in the band-aid, I got curious: who do I have to thank for this little sticky lifesaver?

The Accidental Invention

Band-Aids weren't created by doctors or medical researchers. Nope.

They were invented by a worried husband named Earle Dickson in 1920.

Earle worked at Johnson & Johnson, and his wife Josephine was apparently a bit accident-prone in the kitchen (I feel you, Josephine).

Tired of her constantly cutting and burning herself, Earle created a makeshift bandage by placing small cotton gauze on adhesive tape that she could easily apply herself.

His bosses at J&J caught wind of his home invention and commercialized it.

The first Band-Aids were handmade, 3 inches wide and 18 inches long. You had to cut them yourself to size!

They were also a commercial flop at first. No one was buying them.

It wasn't until J&J started giving them away for free to Boy Scouts and butchers (an interesting combo) that people realized how handy they were.

Some Fun Band-Aid Facts (because why not)

• Over 100 billion Band-Aids have been made since 1920

• Early Band-Aids were only available in plain pinkish-tan color until the 1950s

• In the UK and other Commonwealth countries, they're called "plasters" (which sounds way more serious)

• There's a psychological effect called the "Band-Aid effect" where minor pain actually seems to lessen when covered

• NASA has special high-tech Band-Aids for astronauts that don't float away in zero gravity

The Science of Sticky

The magic of Band-Aids isn't just the pad that covers your wound – it's the adhesive.

Modern medical adhesives are pressure-sensitive and designed to stick to dry skin but not to the wound itself. They're made from polymers mixed with tackifiers (what makes it sticky) and various additives.

The adhesive needs to be strong enough to stay on but gentle enough not to damage skin when removed.

It's a delicate balance, which explains why sometimes they stick too well (ouch) and other times they fall off after five minutes.

PS: Did you know there's a collector's market for vintage Band-Aid tins? Some from the 1920s and 1930s go for hundreds of dollars.

PPS: If you’re new here or have no clue about who’s behind the newsletter, this is for you.

PPPS (last one I promise): Pasta was delicious though!