Earle Dickson invented the Band-Aid in 1921 when his wife, Josefine, kept cutting herself with kitchen knives while preparing meals. He found out that gauze and medical tape was not enough, so he made something better: the Band-Aid! Earle was about 26 when he invented the Band-Aid. His profits grew as more and more people needed the Band-Aid. By 1922, Earle Dickson had $1,000 from selling Band-Aids! He was just 30 years old when he received $4,500 from the government, for inventing the Band-Aid. By 1924, he had made $50,000 for Band-Aids only! He only used a fraction of that money to make Band-Aids.

 

Close to 1925, he had to pay $30,000 because he had forgotten to pay tax for 2 years. Soon after, he had to pay $2,000 for his wife to go to the hospital. Then he made $1,000 from the Band-Aid. By 1927, he had a total of $21,400 from his marvelous invention. Then Earle got a high fever and had to pay $500 to go the doctor. He hadn't paid taxes for 1 year, so he had to pay $15,000 to the government. He had only $15,000 when 1928 arrived, but he still kept on making Band-Aids.

 

Earle Dickson was 38, and was still making Band-Aids. He had only had $16,000 now, as Band-Aids started to have less customers. On May 2, 1956, Earle died, leaving his wife $3,000. Earle Dickson was a great inventor.