Heritage

We crack open the pages of a special issue of Red Cross Notes, a company publication that spotlighted several ways surgical care changed after the war—and how Johnson & Johnson contributed to many of the advances.

From their use in Ancient Egypt (really!) to later innovations like topical skin adhesives, sutures have a long history of saving lives—a story Johnson & Johnson’s been part of since the 1800s.

James Wood Johnson, one of three brothers who launched the company, spotted a “for rent” sign on an empty factory building while traveling from New York to Philadelphia. Here’s how in less than a year, it became Johnson & Johnson’s first location.

When the Belgian physician created his research lab in the 1950s, he did it largely on his own. But it didn’t take long for the medical community to realize the then 26-year-old was on to something profound. Over the course of his long and esteemed career, Dr. Paul, as he was known, coined more than 100 patents and developed dozens of life-changing medications.

This New Brunswick native joined the company in 1950, helping to steer the executive committee and Board of Directors through decades of growth while giving back to the community where he was raised.

Fresh out of college, von Kuster left home in Minnesota and joined the company in New Brunswick, forging a path for women in STEM fields for years to come.

During World War I, the company manufactured bandages and dressings around the clock. But it was a novel antiseptic solution proven to stave off potentially deadly infections that had the biggest impact on wounded soldiers.