Help: Robt Johnson req, for Brits only

Subject: Robt Johnson req, for Brits only
From: Abby Sale
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 12:36 PM

 
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)
 
 

Subject: RE: Help: Robt Johnson req, for Brits only
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 04:34 PM

Without the OED to consult, I have to fall back on smaller references, but the medical use of the word "plaster" is traceable in English back to O.E. "plaster", and before that to Low Latin "plastrum" and Latin "emplastrum" [A. Cornelius Ceisus, physician; c. 10 AD ?]  So it's probably been used in that sense ever since it was adopted into the English language, and -including Latin- a couple of thousand years, at any rate.  "Emplastron" ["emplaston"] was also used in Greek, but I don't know whether of medicine, construction or both.  (Refs. in this case, because to hand, Chambers 20th Century Dictionary and Smith's Smaller English-Latin Dictionary.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Help: Robt Johnson req, for Brits only
From: pict
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 10:33 PM

A plaster can mean a plaster of paris cast to hold a broken limb in place while it heals,bandages are dipped in plaster of paris paste and then wrapped round the afflicted limb.

Getting plastered also means getting stociously drunk.

and you can even use the word to threaten physical violence e.g."I'm going to plaster you!"

Subject: RE: Help: Robt Johnson req, for Brits only
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 10:45 PM

"plaster on a patch".......could equal "put on a Band-Aid". A Band Aid is a patch of sorts......and that is what I always took it to mean........even though I suppose the British "plaster" could pre date Johnson and Johnson.........don't know that. (But I am Yank, not UK, I just like British novels)

Subject: RE: Help: Robt Johnson req, for Brits only
From: Les from Hull
Date: 16 Feb 01 - 11:29 AM

Elastoplasts, like Les, are also 'from Hull' They are made by Smith and Nephew and have been so since 1928. In other countries they are called Tensoplast.

The plaster used to be referred to as Zinc Oxide Plaster, and one use was sticking your wig on (not mine, I've plenty of hair). It was called sticking plaster.

Smith and Nephew (the Nephew was his nephew, not Mr Nephew) date back to 1856, and got their start, like others in the city, from cod liver oil.

Today they are an international medical supplies company and the Smith and Nephews Group controls many companies and agencies worldwide. Perhaps you've heard of Nivea hand cream?

Mind you. I much preferred the Real Robert Johnson.