Johnson & Johnson started producing first aid kits in 1888 for railroad workers who needed quick and easy access to basic medical supplies. Over time, the company manufactured bespoke kits for everyone from factory workers to soldiers—and even the Boy Scouts of America.
The original 1925 Boy Scout first aid kits were pretty basic: They included a triangular bandage that could be fashioned into a sling, a compress and two safety pins that were packaged in a simple cardboard container.In 1926, the scouts even had silent film star Fred Thomson and his famous horse Silver King demonstrate how to use the kits.
“A few years later, a more sophisticated version of the kits was introduced, containing burn and antibiotic creams, first aid instructions and several different kinds of bandages,” says Margaret Gurowitz, Johnson & Johnson’s in-house historian. “These tin kits could be attached to belt loops—making them practical for camping and hiking.”
By 1932, the company was also producing first aid kits for Girl Scouts—so everyone could earn their first aid merit badges.
