Revra DePuy
Encyclopedia
Revra DePuy was an American
inventor, noted for his invention of the fiber splint. He was the founder of DePuy Manufacturing, now part of Johnson and Johnson.
in Grand Rapids, but the family moved to Canada
when Revra was a child. After his father died, Revra's mother moved the family to Marseilles
, Illinois
.
As a young man, DePuy supported himself by doing many kinds of work. He worked as a clerk in a drug store, and then studied chemistry
at the University of Toronto
, where he received a degree. After college, he invented a technique for sugar coating pills.
Later, he worked as a traveling salesman. DePuy settled in Warsaw, Indiana
, and decided to make a fiber splint to replace the wooden barrel splints which had been used up to then to set bone fracture
s. DePuy Manufacturing became the first commercial orthopedic manufacturer in the world. The company operated out of the Hayes Hotel in Warsaw from 1895 to 1901.
On March 9, 1896, he married Miss Winifred Stoner, who was the daughter of the sheriff of Kosciusko County. The marriage was childless.
DePuy moved the manufacturing site to Niles, Michigan
from 1901 to 1904, but moved back to Warsaw, Indiana
after sales slumped. At that point, he built a factory at the corner of Columbia and Center Streets in Warsaw, where the company made "fracture appliances" from 1904 to 1925. In 1905, J.O. Zimmer began working for DePuy as the first sales representative. Zimmer later left DePuy to found Zimmer Holdings
DePuy died of heart disease
on October 9, 1921 in Warsaw, Indiana
. His wife married Herschel Leiter, who then became president of DePuy Manufacturing.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor, noted for his invention of the fiber splint. He was the founder of DePuy Manufacturing, now part of Johnson and Johnson.
Biography
DePuy's father was a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Grand Rapids, but the family moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
when Revra was a child. After his father died, Revra's mother moved the family to Marseilles
Marseilles, Illinois
Marseilles is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,655 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
As a young man, DePuy supported himself by doing many kinds of work. He worked as a clerk in a drug store, and then studied chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, where he received a degree. After college, he invented a technique for sugar coating pills.
Later, he worked as a traveling salesman. DePuy settled in Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw is a city in and the county seat of Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. Cradled among Winona Lake, Pike Lake, Hidden Lake and Center Lake, Warsaw is nicknamed "Lake City," though other cities in the surrounding area are also referred to by that nickname...
, and decided to make a fiber splint to replace the wooden barrel splints which had been used up to then to set bone fracture
Bone fracture
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
s. DePuy Manufacturing became the first commercial orthopedic manufacturer in the world. The company operated out of the Hayes Hotel in Warsaw from 1895 to 1901.
On March 9, 1896, he married Miss Winifred Stoner, who was the daughter of the sheriff of Kosciusko County. The marriage was childless.
DePuy moved the manufacturing site to Niles, Michigan
Niles, Michigan
Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. The population was 11,600 at the 2010 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
from 1901 to 1904, but moved back to Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw is a city in and the county seat of Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. Cradled among Winona Lake, Pike Lake, Hidden Lake and Center Lake, Warsaw is nicknamed "Lake City," though other cities in the surrounding area are also referred to by that nickname...
after sales slumped. At that point, he built a factory at the corner of Columbia and Center Streets in Warsaw, where the company made "fracture appliances" from 1904 to 1925. In 1905, J.O. Zimmer began working for DePuy as the first sales representative. Zimmer later left DePuy to found Zimmer Holdings
Zimmer Holdings
-History:Zimmer was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, where it is part of the medical devices business cluster there.-Products:...
DePuy died of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
on October 9, 1921 in Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw is a city in and the county seat of Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. Cradled among Winona Lake, Pike Lake, Hidden Lake and Center Lake, Warsaw is nicknamed "Lake City," though other cities in the surrounding area are also referred to by that nickname...
. His wife married Herschel Leiter, who then became president of DePuy Manufacturing.