Today being Robert Johnson's birthday, I thought I look up a little song having to do with him to celebrate the great man.

I hope I didn't misdirect anyone - this is not the bluesman's birthday, it's that of the great Robert W. Johnson ("dubya"), the guy that developed & marketed antiseptic bandages.  His company is known as Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (a subsidiary of God knows what.)

Happy Birthday Bobby!
born 2/16/1845
(d1910)

So you might use a celebratory song such as  "THE DOCTOR", (2nd verse) or one of my favorite songs,  "SHE WAS A RUM ONE", (6th verse).

But the question I had was this...  I am aware that "plaster" is current British for 'sticky medical bandage' like Elastoplast or (in the US, the real one,) Band-Aid but I'm not really clear on the meaning of the word.

Certainly it comes from the same root as building plaster, a goo that hardens, etc.  But I'm not clear how exactly it relates to the great Mr. Johnson - that is, when the term might have come to include bandages.  And if a "mustard plaster" would always have bandages associated with it.

Naturally, I want to use the term correctly.

I have found:

Plaster:
     Definition 1.   a paste of sand, lime or gypsum, or the like, and water that
                          hardens when it dries, used esp. to cover walls and ceilings.
     Definition 2.   a medicinal or cosmetic paste that is applied to the body.

Thank you for your help.

Abby
("Happy!" file curator in lurkage)