I Just Learned What Vaseline Really Means, And It's Clever
Did you know that Tesco had an own-brand Tesco Tea before they actually got their brand name?
Yup ― the store chain is named after the product, and not the other way around.
These are the sort of facts I like to bore fascinate my loved ones with (don't get me started on the true meaning of Twix or IKEA; my partner prays we don't walk past boxes of Quality Street and Ferrero Rocher in our weekly shop).
Good news for my beleaguered beau ― I've found another one! Turns out that Vaseline, the petroleum jelly, has a hidden meaning in its brand name.
What would go on to become the company's flagship product was originally called 'rod wax,' because it was a by-product of oil drilling that rig workers used to protect their skin.
In 1859, chemist Robert Chesebrough saw the product at work, went on to purify it, and had patented it by 1865. This was called Wonder Jelly at first.
But per Vaseline's site, by 1872, Chesebrough wanted to rename his product.
So, he called it 'Vaseline Jelly – a combination of the German word for water (wasser) and the Greek word for oil (oleon).'
It makes sense. After all, the slick gel-like product is made from waxes and oil, which in turn help to keep the water in our skin where it should be.
Modern Vaseline also contains hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring acid which attracts and holds water.
Ever accidentally swallow some lip balm (or, for the flavoured kinds, deliberately lick your lips more than usual)?
Well, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica's site, you've got nothing on ol' Robert.
The owner of the product's patent lived to 96; Britannica says he 'attributed his longevity to eating a spoonful of his 'wonder jelly' each day.'
They add: 'Though it is not toxic, both Unilever [who owns Vaseline] and Encyclopaedia Britannica recommend against eating Vaseline.'
However, fact-checking site Snopes could not confirm that the chemist also cured his pleurisy by asking a nurse to slather him with the balm.
I Just Learned What 'Ferrero Rocher' Really Means, And It Makes Sense
I Just Realised What 'Twix' Actually Stands For, And It's Pretty Clever
I Just Learned What Tesco Really Stands For (And I Had No Clue)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Unite for Vets' rally in Washington, D.C., protests cuts in benefits
June 6 (UPI) -- Several thousand veterans converged on the National Mall on Friday to rally against proposed cuts to Veterans Affairs services, among 200 events nationwide. Veterans, military families and others participated in the Unite for Veterans, Unite for America Rally on the 81st anniversary of D-Day, which was the Allies' amphibious invasion of German-occupied France. Veteran-led protests took place at 16 state capitol buildings and more than 100 other places across 43 states. "We are coming together to defend the benefits, jobs and dignity that every generation of veterans has earned through sacrifice," Unite for Veterans said on its website. "Veteran jobs, healthcare, and essential VA services are under attack. We will not stand by." Speakers in Washington included Democrats with military backgrounds: Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, former Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania and California Rep. Derek Tran. There were signs against President Donald Trump, VA Secretary Doug Collins and Elon Musk, the multi-billionaire who ran the Department of Government Efficiency. They said those leaders are betraying the country's promises to troops. "Are you tired of being thanked for our service in the public and stabbed in our back in private?" Army veteran Everett Kelly, the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, asked the crowd. "For years, politicians on both sides of the aisle have campaigned on their support of veterans, but once they get into office, they cut our benefits, our services. They take every opportunity to privatize our health care." The Trump administration plans to cut 83,000 VA staffers and shift more money from the federal health care system to private-sector clinics. The Department of Veterans Affairs employs approximately 482,000 people, including 500,000 workers at 170 hospitals and 1,200 local clinics in the nation's largest health care system. In all, there are 15.8 million veterans, which represents 6.1% of the civilian population 18 years and older. VA officials said the event was misguided. "Anyone who says VA is cutting healthcare and benefits is not being honest," VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz in a statement to Navy Times. "The Biden Administration failed to address nearly all of VA's most serious problems, including rising health care wait times, benefits backlogs, and major issues with survivor benefits. Under President Trump and Secretary Collins, VA is fixing these problems and making major improvements." The event was modeled after the Bonus Army protests of the 1930s, when veterans who served in World War I gathered in the nation's capital to demand extra pay denied after leaving the service. Irma Westmoreland, a registered nurse working at a VA hospital and the secretary-treasurer of National Nurses United, told the crowd in Washington: "It's important for every person to keep their job, from the engineering staff to the housekeeper to the dietary staff. When cuts are made, the nursing and medical staff will have to pick up all their work that needs to be done."
UPI
5 hours ago
- UPI
'Unite for Vets' rally in Washington, D.C., protests cuts in benefits
June 6 (UPI) -- Several thousand veterans converged on the National Mall on Friday to rally against proposed cuts to Veterans Affairs services, among 200 events nationwide. Veterans, military families and others participated in the Unite for Veterans, Unite for America Rally on the 81st anniversary of D-Day, which was the Allies' amphibious invasion of German-occupied France. Veteran-led protests took place at 16 state capitol buildings and more than 100 other places across 43 states. "We are coming together to defend the benefits, jobs and dignity that every generation of veterans has earned through sacrifice," Unite for Veterans said on its website. "Veteran jobs, healthcare, and essential VA services are under attack. We will not stand by." Speakers in Washington included Democrats with military backgrounds: Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, former Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania and California Rep. Derek Tran. There were signs against President Donald Trump, VA Secretary Doug Collins and Elon Musk, the multi-billionaire who ran the Department of Government Efficiency. They said those leaders are betraying the country's promises to troops. "Are you tired of being thanked for our service in the public and stabbed in our back in private?" Army veteran Everett Kelly, the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, asked the crowd. "For years, politicians on both sides of the aisle have campaigned on their support of veterans, but once they get into office, they cut our benefits, our services. They take every opportunity to privatize our health care." The Trump administration plans to cut 83,000 VA staffers and shift more money from the federal health care system to private-sector clinics. The Department of Veterans Affairs employs approximately 482,000 people, including 500,000 workers at 170 hospitals and 1,200 local clinics in the nation's largest health care system. In all, there are 15.8 million veterans, which represents 6.1% of the civilian population 18 years and older. VA officials said the event was misguided. "Anyone who says VA is cutting healthcare and benefits is not being honest," VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz in a statement to Navy Times. "The Biden Administration failed to address nearly all of VA's most serious problems, including rising health care wait times, benefits backlogs, and major issues with survivor benefits. Under President Trump and Secretary Collins, VA is fixing these problems and making major improvements." The event was modeled after the Bonus Army protests of the 1930s, when veterans who served in World War I gathered in the nation's capital to demand extra pay denied after leaving the service. Irma Westmoreland, a registered nurse working at a VA hospital and the secretary-treasurer of National Nurses United, told the crowd in Washington: "It's important for every person to keep their job, from the engineering staff to the housekeeper to the dietary staff. When cuts are made, the nursing and medical staff will have to pick up all their work that needs to be done."
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Veterans Affairs' health, benefits app passes 3 million downloads
June 6 (UPI) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs' Health and Benefits mobile app has achieved more than 3 million downloads, or nearly 20% of all veterans, since its launch in 2021. The app has 1.4 million active users, according to an agency news release Friday on the 81st anniversary of D-Day, which was the Allies' amphibious invasion of German-occupied France. The app provides veterans access to healthcare and benefits information from their mobile phones, and features fingerprint and face recognition. Users can refill and track VA prescriptions, review appointments, review claims and appeals status, submit evidence for claims and appeals, review VA payment and direct deposit information, locate the closest VA facilities, access the Veterans Crisis Line and show proof of veteran status. "We encourage all VA-enrolled Veterans to stay connected and informed by downloading the app," Eddie Pool, acting assistant Secretary for Information and Technology and acting chief information officer, said in a news release. In all, there are 15.8 million veterans, which represents 6.1% of the civilian population 18 year and older. Of those, 7.8 million served in the Gulf War era between 1990 and now, 5.6 million during the Vietnam era from 1950 to 1073, 767,000 during the Korean conflict in the 1940s and 1950s, and less than 120,000 World War II veterans, according to Pew Research in 2023. As of 2023, 78% of veterans served during wartime. The Department of Veterans Affairs employs approximately 482,000 people, including 500,000 workers at 170 hospitals and 1,200 local clinics in the nation's largest health care system. Like with other agencies, the agency is being downsized with plans to cut 83,000 jobs.
