THE GENIUS
WAY SUPER
GLUE WAS
USED IN THE
VIETNAM WAR
By ELIZABETH HLAVINKA
History - Science
The first incarnation of Super Glue was discovered during World War II by Harry Wesley Coover Jr., a young chemist working for Kodak laboratories. While attempting to use cyanoacrylates (the substance in Super Glue), one of Coover's employees accidentally stuck two $3,000 refractometer lenses together, and Coover realized the potential of the substance and patented it.
As a staple of most U.S. homes, Super Glue — also known as Krazy Glue or its chemical name, cyanoacrylate glue — can help repair tools, toys, and appliances. It was even used by medics in the Vietnam War to close up battle wounds suffered by soldiers when stitching or surgery wasn't immediately available, which Coover’s daughter said was one of his proudest achievements.
In 1964, Coover’s company submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration to use his invention for medical treatment, but it contained a skin irritant, and later versions failed as well. However, a medical-specific application was approved in 1998, which is now sold as Dermabond, and his initial invention has also led to products like Liquid Bandage, Soothe-n-Seal, and Nexaband.