Draft:Ella Gaillard

Ella Gaillard was an inventor who was active from 1874 - 1912. She is most famous for her invention of the eyeless needle, which was patented in 1874 and is still widely used today.

Personal Life:

Little is known about Galliard's personal life, other than that she patented her inventions in many different cities, including San Francisco (CA), New York (NY), and Easton (MD).

Gaillard is most famous for her innovation of the eyeless needle, which she patented in 1874. She knew that normal eyed needles required thread to be doubled, which took immense detail and was troublesome. The eyeless needle removes the need to double the thread. The thread is directly attached to the needle itself, allowing for use of a mere single strand of thread. When used for surgical procedures, this allows for less scarring and saves time when looping the thread on the needle.

She reportedly had the opportunity to sell the rights to her needle for $250,000, but opted against it and sold it for much less. Galliard even said herself that she was not a good businesswoman and acknowledged her weakness in monetizing her work well. She had also invented a musical top, and while she got nothing out of it, a friend had informed her millions were being sold in Europe at $1.50 each.

When Gaillard invented the first rubber-covered hose supporter button, she sold the rights for $5,500. The individual who bought those rights made $1.5MM from that button.

Other Inventions:

She invented a variety of items, including:

• Folding Flatiron
• Dress Shield & Sweat Band for Hats: an Improved underarm liner
• A Key that registers if the Door is Locked
• Combination between a Calendar, Paperweight, and Musical Watch
• Carriage Telephone

In 1885, she also came up with a music box that spouted water as music played - what some called a “musical fountain”. This was one of her more entertaining inventions, and showed her diversity in areas of innovation. Throughout her career, Gaillard was known to have at least 15 inventions, with patents granted on 8 of them.

She continued being an inventor throughout her life, even at the age of 80. One of Galliard's later inventions was a shoe polish that she thought would change the industry; however, because it seemingly would eliminate shoeshine parlors, individuals in power in the industry didn't go near it. It is unknown as to whether she was able to commercialize all of her inventions.

Legacy:

Today, all surgical needles today are eyeless needles. The ability of the eyeless needle to cause less tissue trauma and damage long-term has made it the preferred needle in surgery, as it not only minimizes long-term damages but allows for improved patient outcomes as well. The lasting impact emphasizes the significance of her inventions to the field of surgery. By addressing a need for less invasive and more effective surgical tools, her contribution has become key to contemporary medical practices. Today, her inventions are recognized as examples of strong innovations by women and will be remembered.