Original Items: Only One Lot of 2 Available. A fateful conversation inspired the creation of Johnson & Johnson’s First Aid Kit, which was released in 1888. Aboard a train heading to Colorado for vacation, company founder Robert Wood Johnson struck up a conversation with the Denver & Rio Grande Railway’s chief surgeon. The doctor explained to Johnson the dangers of railroad construction and the lack of medical supplies to treat the unique industrial injuries that were often incurred great distances from hospitals. From this exchange, Johnson saw an opportunity to both advance the field of healthcare and build his young business. And from this modern need, the commercial First Aid Kit was born.

In 1913 the U.S. Army developed a medical belt to be used on the battlefield. The belt had ten pockets which contained a tourniquet, adhesive plaster, safety pins, iodine, gauze, field dressing, bandages, ammonia, pins and diagnosis tags. A canteen hanger and ax carrier were also a part of the belt, along with various other accessories.

But during WWI, it became evident that the medical belt design was not effective. It did not withstand the trials of war. Both the packaging and the contents were considered utterly useless in the field, and the medical belt was no longer used by the U.S. military.

By World War II, medical corpsmen wore just two medical pouches at the waist, which wouldn’t interfere with mobility – a lesson learned by the failure of the medical belt. Johnson & Johnson continued evolving the first aid kit for widespread use by every individual and industry.

As technology continues to advance, the contents of the medical kit continue to advance as well. But many of the original items have stood the test of time. Although tourniquets, dressings and other items have changed throughout the years, the general concept of the medical kit remains the same – to save lives.

The Items In This Lot:

- WWII Era US Navy Life Raft First Aid Kit: This kit would have also been used aboard Naval vessels as well as life rafts. There are tabs located on the back to secure the kit to a bulkhead.

The Contents Include:

- x2 Triangular Bandages: 40 Inches each
- x2 Bandage Compresses: 4”
- Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, Camouflaged: 2 inch by 6 yards
- Dramamine: 8 unopened tablets.
- No. 5 Eye Dressing Packet
- x2 Boxes of Petroleum: Unfortunately they burst open and covered most of the contents, use caution and gloves when handling.
- x3 Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, Camouflaged
- Benzalkonium Chloride Tincture

- Korean War MK-2 Sea Water Desalter Kit Dated February 1952: Emergency Desalting Kits can prevent thirst and the danger of body dehydration in accidents at sea.

Developed during World War II and still standard equipment on U.S. Navy and Air Force planes, the Desalting Kit is also used by commercial airlines and private aircraft for over water flights.

The text printed on the front of the kit is as follows:

KIT, SEA WATER DESALTER,
MK-2
The kit contains 7 packages of chemical; and mending tape for bag.
Each package of chemical when mixed with sea water in the plastic bag makes about 1 pint of drinking water. The mixture of sea water and chemical looks muddy. Filter at bottom of bag holds back all sediment. Only pure water can come through the filter. A small amount of salt is left in drinking water intentionally.
Take out bag and tie it to raft. Read directions on bag and package of chemical and then follow them exactly.
Do not drink any water the first day. Water drunk the first day will be wasted in urine.
Never Drink Sea Water!
THE PERMUTIT COMPANY
BIRMINGHAM, N.J.
Spec. MIL-K-5531

All items come more than ready for further research and display.

Idiot Clause - the contents of this kit are pre-1960 manufacture and are NOT suitable for use. They are being sold as novelty collector pieces only.