Kilmer House

Several posts ago, readers were introduced to a mysterious mystery item from Johnson & Johnson history. In fact, it was so mysterious that it even stumped the Company historian and the alert readers of this blog. But now the mystery has been solved. What is the mystery item? Read on to find out! As readers will remember, the mysterious mystery item was donated by a Johnson & Johnson employee who’s a huge fan of J&J history and who has an extensive personal collection of our historical products and artifacts. The employee who donated the item had never seen anything like it before

As we celebrate Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day elsewhere in the world, we salute the men and women who serve their countries. A Johnson & Johnson employee, "Somewhere in France," during World War I. From our archives. Johnson & Johnson has a long heritage of employees serving in the military, dating back to 1898, and the Company has supported the men and women who serve their countries for well over a century.  As the younger brothers of Union Army veterans, the three founders of Johnson & Johnson had tremendous respect for those who serve and a desire to do what the

The countless female scientists in the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies across the world are examples of the pioneering work that women in science do every day.  With so many necessary efforts underway to encourage girls and young women to study science, technology, engineering and math (referred to as STEM), women scientists are crucial role models for girls aspiring to careers in these fields.  Johnson & Johnson has known that women make good scientists for a long time.  Way back in 1907 or 1908, when the barriers to women in science were much higher, Johnson & Johnson hired

Surgery before it was sterile, with the surgeons in street clothing, and a complete lack of aseptic procedures. Although it seems hard to believe today, as recently as the late 1800s the concept that surgery should be sterile was still facing an uphill battle.  Some people found it hard to believe that invisible “germs” (as they were called) were causing the high rates of post-surgical infections.  Others (some surgeons included) still believed that infections weren’t caused by germs at all, which inclined them to view sterile surgery as an unnecessary affectation.  Surgeons who did want to tr

By the time Fred Kilmer wrote back to Sir Joseph Lister in 1891, he was able to describe in great detail the Company’s sterilization and manufacturing procedures – including our Aseptic Room, the steam sterilizers and the water filtration system.  These high-tech facilities and pioneering equipment were all made possible by another partnership during the early days of Johnson & Johnson: the partnership between science and engineering as personified by James Wood Johnson and Fred Kilmer. Mr. Science…meet Mr. Engineering. Fred Kilmer (left) and James Wood Johnson (right) When James Wood John