A Leader With a Legacy
Josephine Cochran did many amazing things. In a time when women were not encouraged to be inventors and entrepreneurs, she created a device that is now in millions of homes and institutions, and founded her own company to sell her invention. After she died in 1913, her company changed its name, and eventually became KitchenAid, still a leading manufacturer of dishwashers. So, she invented the dishwasher as we know it today, and also started one of the best-known appliance companies. She was a woman of the future.
"Considering the prevalence of dishwashers today, Josephine Cochran's name should be a household word" (Stanley, 439).
The dishwasher is useful for its time-saving abilities, but also because it is very sanitary. A 1997 study shows that 33% of kitchen sponges test positive for E. Coli, which causes food poisoning. To kill bacteria, water must reach 140 degrees fahrenheit. People can only stand 120 degrees fahrenheit for a few minutes, but a dishwasher can heat up to 170 degrees fahrenheit.
“Any time you’re dealing with food, or even just utensils touching a person’s mouth, there’s potential for harmful bacteria and even parasites to transfer from food to food, or food to person” (Dr. Keith R. Schneider, associate professor of food science at the University of Florida).
Despite difficult times and limiting ideas about gender roles, Josephine Cochran led the way from an unsanitary, difficult way of washing dishes to a cleaner, more efficient machine that is still affecting homes and service industries today. Her work should inspire anyone who cares about equality, science, or their own health.