Dr. Henri Breault was born in Tecumseh on March 4, 1909, the middle son of Joseph and Maria Breault.
Dr. Henri Breault resided on Tecumseh Road between St. Anne Street and Poisson Street. He attended elementary school in Tecumseh and then went on to the University of Ottawa High School and College and received his B.A. in 1931. Henri continued his education at the University of Western Ontario Medical School in London and received his M.D. in 1936. He did his internship at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Windsor and his residency in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. He eventually opened his practice in Windsor in July 1939.
Dr. Breault married Monica, and had two daughters, Elise and Rosemary. He retired in 1980 and died September 5, 1983. He was buried in Tecumseh at St. Anne's Cemetery and was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame on May 29, 1997.
The story of the development of the Palm N' Turn Safety Cap begins in 1957 with the establishment of the Windsor Poison Control Centre to help solve the problem of childhood poisoning, which was very common at the time. Two to three children per day were brought to the centre to have their stomachs pumped because they had ingested different kinds of medications, remedies, vitamins, and household solvents that were in containers easy to uncap. He felt a simple solution of prevention had to be found to this common problem. With his agile mind, organizational abilities, dedication and determination, he was able to invent a cap and have it manufactured. Through many hours of lecturing and demonstrations to his colleagues, the pharmaceutical industry, and anyone else who wanted to listen, Dr. Breault was able to get the cap approved by all levels of government.
By January 1972, Ontario made the safety cap mandatory on all containers of medications and household solvents. In 1974, the other provinces followed and the Federal Hazardous Products Act was passed, which mandated safety caps packaging for household products. In 1980, the United States also adopted the safety cap legislation. Since then, child poisoning has been reduced by approximately 92%. Of the remaining 8%, 4 to 5% of poisonings are due to parents not putting the cap on the container.
It took Dr. Henri Breault 17 to 18 years to get his project completed which shows true dedication and perseverance.
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2020 -
2019 -
2018 - Larry Desanti
2017 - Michael J. Rovers
2016 - Tecumseh Goodfellows Team #35
2014 - Brian Sherwell
2013 - John McGivney
2012 - Bernarda Camello-Doctor
2010 - Robert (Bob) Waronchak
2009 - Louis Gouin
2008 - Michael Solcz
2007 - Dr. Albert Schumacher
2006 - Tony J. Azar
2005 - Anthony P. Toldo
2004 - William (Bill) Onslow, Anne "Cookie" Rigo, and Michael and Kathleen Rocheleau
2000 - George Rocheleau, Don Lappan, and John Poole
1998 - John Staley
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