Gamgee Tissue is a surgical dressing invented by Dr. Joseph Sampson Gamgee in Birmingham, England, in 1880.
Gamgee Tissue has a thick layer of absorbent cotton wool between two layers of absorbent gauze. It represents the first use of cotton wool in a medical context, and was a major advancement in the prevention of infection of surgical wounds. It is still the basis for many modern surgical dressings. Its name is a trademark, and has been since 1911.
In Birmingham, "Gamgee" became the colloquial name for cotton wool. This led to a character name (Sam Gamgee) in J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Lord of the Rings.
Reference
Absorbent and medicated surgical dressings, J. S. Gamgee, in The Lancet, London, 24 January, 1880
