Timeline of first aid

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This is a timeline of first aid, describing significant events in the development of the field. Instrumental and drugs used in first aid kits are described. First aid, as a profession in its own right, has a recent history of only 120 years.

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Time period Development summary
19th century In the mid-century, the First International Geneva Convention is held and the Red Cross is created to provide "aid to sick and wounded soldiers in the field."[1] By the end of the 19th century, hundreds of thousands of St John first aid certificates are awarded in four continents.[2] The term "first aid" appears in 1878. In the late century, first aid kits are released by Johnson & Johnson.
20th century Throughout the century, first aid kits expand to meet new needs. They are customized for homes, schools, travelers and the workplace.[3] In the 1920s, first aid kits are created for unique purposes or carry the names of specific companies and organizations. The 1950s see the introduction of individual items in a first aid kit being packaged in small cardboard boxes.[4]
21th century While first-aid kits have changed and become more advanced and technical over time, the original intent remains the same.[5]

Full timeline

Year Event type Details Location
1099 Prelude The first recorded history of first aid dates to the formation of a religious order of knights trained to administer medical treatment.[6]
1767 Organization A society for the preservation of life from accidents in water is started in Amsterdam.[7] Netherlands
1773 Field development English physician William Hawes begins publicizing the power of artificial respiration to resuscitate people who superficially appeared to have drowned.[8] United Kingdom
1792 Field development The French Army Surgeon General forms the first official army medical corps. People are trained and equipped for working away from the field hospitals. Their task is to administer first aid on the battlefield and where necessary remove the casualty to the field hospital by carrying them or on carts.[6] France
1863 Organization The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is formed.[9]
1860s Field development The first Geneva Convention and the International Red Cross come into being to protect and deal with sick and injured soldiers on the battlefield.[6]
1870 Field development German military surgeon Friedrich von Esmarch introduces formalized first aid to the military. Von Esmarch authors a handbook of military surgical technique and institutes training in first aid for civilian and military personnel.[10][11] Germany
1870 Organization The British Red Cross is formed.[6] United Kingdom
1878 Field development Two British military officers, Surgeon-Major Peter Shepherd of the Royal Herbert Military Hospital, Woolwich, London, and Colonel Francis Duncan establish the concept of teaching first aid skills to civilians. This radical new enterprise, conducted under the auspices of the newly formed St John Ambulance Association, is considered a natural evolution from the body's philanthropic and ambuance transport work.[2]
1878 Field development The term “first aid” first appears in Britain and is thought to be derived from “first treatment” and “National Aid”.[6] United Kingdom
1878 Field development Surgeon Major Peter Shepherd and Dr Coleman run the first public first aid course in London.[6] United Kingdom
1888 Instrumental American company Johnson & Johnson begins making the first commercial first aid kits.[12] United States
1898 Instrumental During the Spanish-American war in 1898, Johnson & Johnson releases small first aid kits that could be carried by soldiers. First aid kits would be used extensively by all armies in the First and Second World Wars.[4] United States
1898 Instrumental A patent by Jerome B. Dillon for a new type of umbilical bandage uses an "antiseptic, absorbent cotton pad" to carry out its function.[13] United States
1899 Drug Bayer introduces aspirin.[14] The drug, is considered an essential for a travel first aid kit.[15] Germany
1901 Literature (book) Johnson & Johnson publishes the Hand Book of First Aid, the first comprehensive, commercially available guide to first aid in the United States. The guide aims at teaching Americans about basic hygiene and emergency care.[3] United States
1903 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Household Accident Case, a small kit intended for it—household use.[16] United States
1906 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Autokit. The case's contents—including burn ointment— are meant to help treat injuries during car accidents.[16] United States
1910 Policy All American workplaces with more than three employees are required to have basic medical supplies.[3] United States
1911 Field development The Holger-Nielsen method of cardiopulmonary ressucitation, a manual method of resuscitation popular around the turn of the 20th century, is described in detail in the edition of the Boy Scouts of America Handbook. It would become widely used until the 1950s.[8] United States
1920 Instrumental The Band-Aid, one of the most famous pieces of home medical care, is released as an addition to the first-aid kit.[5]
1920 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Factory Case, meant for use in manufacturing facilities.[16] United States
1921 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Travelkit, a pocket-sized first aid kit containing items to treat minor injuries when traveling to areas where medical care is limited.[16] United States
1925 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Boy Scout First Aid Kit, created to teach scouts proper first aid techniques.[16] United States
1927 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Aerokit, designed for the flight travellers to use on the small one- to two-passenger planes of the day, and including burn emollient, a miniature first aid chart with instructions on how to treat plane-specific injuries in the air and on the ground, and aromatic spirits of ammonia, which could be used to revive a passenger who lost consciousness in the air. The metal case comes in a heavy cloth bag, with a loop attachment, so it could be attached to the aviator’s belt or to the inside wall of the plane.[16] Unitd States
1941 Instrumental Carlisle Kits are introduced during World War II, after the U.S. military decides to improve the quality of soldiers' first aid supplies and begins packaging them in a wallet-sized, watertight metal container.[16] United States
1942 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Vacation First Aid Kit, clocked in at only 5 inches wide and 4 inches long, and designed as an easy-to-pack item for travelers, containing antiseptic cream, a roll of bandages, gauze and a set of first aid instructions.[16] United States
1945 Drug Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, is introduced.[17] The drug is used to treat allergies, and considered essential in travel first aid kits.[15]
1961 Drug Ibuprofen is discovered by Stewart Adams and initially marketed as Brufen.[18]
1964 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces a snake bite first aid kit.[4] It includes a scalpel and plunger, meant to be used to suction snake venom from the skin. It also includes an ammonia inhalant that could help rouse an unconscious bite victim.[16] United States
1973 Instrumental Johnson & Johnson introduces the Marine First Aid Kit, a waterproof and buoyant case, including medications for seasickness and heat exhaustion, as well as an S-shaped plastic tube meant to help revive victims of drowning.[16] United States
1980 Literature (book) First Aid in Mental Health, by Joy Melville, is first published.[19] United Kingdom
1992 Literature (book) The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook is published by the American Red Cross, and Kathleen A. Handal.[20] United States
1995 Field development The United States Department of Transportation issues a manual for an intermediate level of training called "First Responder".[21] United States
2000s Field development The LUCAS Chest Compression System is designed to help improve outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest victims and improve operations for medical responders.[8]
2000 Field development The Mental Health First Aid Program is developed in Australia by Betty Kitchener and Anthony Jorm.[22] Australia

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See also

External links

References

  1. "First Aid: From Witchdoctors & Religious Knights to Modern Doctors". medicinenet.com. Retrieved 18 November 2018. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "The earliest days of first aid". doi:10.1136/bmj.309.6970.1718. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Birth of the First Aid Kit". jnj.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "The 130-Year History of the First Aid Kit". firstaidshoppe.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "History of the First-Aid Kit". providerprepared.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "History of First Aid". magnifiedts.com. Retrieved 18 November 2018. 
  7. The Monthly Review, Or, Literary Journal, Volume 49. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Shanbhag, Madhura; Desai, Brinda; Desai, Vidhi; Bhowmick, Mita. "Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation – "Retrieving pulses down the years"". International Journal of Research Studies in Science, Engineering and Technology. 
  9. "Historical background - First Aid for all". ifrc.org. Retrieved 18 November 2018. 
  10. Kühn, Michael. "Antiquariat" (PDF). antiquariat-banzhaf.de. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  11. "Friedrich von Esmarch". britannica.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  12. "From 1888 to 2013: Celebrating the 125th Birthday of the First Aid Kit". kilmerhouse.com. Retrieved 3 January 2019. 
  13. Dillon, B. (8 Nov 1898), US Patent #613,761, retrieved 2016-11-29 
  14. "From a tree, a 'miracle' called aspirin". cnn.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  15. 15.0 15.1 "First Aid Kits". emedicinehealth.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 16.9 "Safety First: 12 Outside-the-Box First Aid Kits Made by Johnson & Johnson". jnj.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  17. History of Allergy (K.-C. Bergmann, J. Ring ed.). 
  18. Halford, GM; Lordkipanidzé, M; Watson, SP (2012). "50th anniversary of the discovery of ibuprofen: an interview with Dr Stewart Adams.". Platelets. 23 (6): 415–22. PMID 22098129. doi:10.3109/09537104.2011.632032. 
  19. Melville, Joy. First Aid in Mental Health. 
  20. "The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook". Retrieved 3 January 2019. 
  21. "Emergency Medicine 2: First Responder". s2institute.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019. 
  22. "Mental Health First Aid: Program grows from humble Canberra beginnings to train people worldwide". abc.net.au. Retrieved 4 January 2019.