- [Voiceover] Cotton candy.
Who knew sugar and air could taste so sweet?
Well, a guy named James Morrison, an amateur inventor
who's occupation and taste buds didn't exactly align.
He was a dentist and during his lifetime,
James even became the President
of the Tennessee Dental Association.
- [Voiceover] Don't forget to floss.
- [Voiceover] But he was also a confectionary enthusiast
with a passion for culinary advancement.
He paired with John C. Wharton,
an old friend and fellow confectioner.
Together the two designed and co-patented
what they called the electronic candy machine.
The device rapidly spun and melted sugar
through small holes until it was fluffy
and nearly 70 percent air.
They called the new treat fairy floss.
They introduced their product at the 1904 World's Fair,
selling it in small wooden boxes for 25 cents each.
- [Voiceover] Thank you.
- [Voiceover] That's about six dollars today.
Fairy floss was a huge success.
In six months, they sold over 68,000 boxes,
grossing in today's money around 440,000 dollars.
But despite the success of the sugar spun business,
Morrison returned to his day job as a dentist.
So next time the dentist tells you
you're eating too many sugary treats,
well blame him.
Awkward.