A vaginal syringe was an object used in the 19th century in the Western world for douching, treating diseases and for birth control. Vaginal syringes were fairly common at the time, but were not openly discussed because of taboos about discussing feminine hygiene.[1] Vaginal syringes were most often made of metal, glass or Bakelite.[2]
Vaginal syringes were marketed under various names, such as the ones made by the E. Edwards and Company of New York called "Lady's Friend" or the "Diamond Syringe No. 10."[3] It was important for manufacturers to be vague in advertising because they could be arrested on obscenity charges, like Ezra Heywood was for advertising a vaginal syringe in his newspaper in 1882.[4] His involvement in the issue led his wife, Angela Heywood to speak openly about birth control and feminine hygiene as a woman's "natural right."[5] Others, like Sarah Chase, were arrested for selling vaginal syringes as a method of birth control.[6] Vaginal syringes have been recorded in paintings by the 17th century artist, Jan Steen.[7] Women have created and patented vaginal syringes for use as birth control as early as the 1879 model developed by Ann Palmer.[8]
Treating disease and douchingedit
Vaginal syringes were used to treat maladies such as leucorrhea or disease of the "pelvic viscera" by injecting water or water and chemicals into the vagina.[9] Vaginal syringes were also used to treat menstrual cramps.[7]
The vaginal syringe was also used to promote the Victorian notion that douching was an appropriate method of feminine hygiene.[10] By the 1930s, "many reputable gynecologists" were reporting that "habitual use of a vaginal syringe" was unhealthy.[11]
Birth controledit
The vaginal syringe as a method of birth control was available to women in the early nineteenth century.[12] In the 1860s, Henry Dyer Grindle, advocated using vaginal syringes for the application of spermicide into the vagina after sexual intercourse.[13] Women used different types of spermicides with the vaginal syringes including alum, chloride of zinc, baking soda, vinegar, borax, white oak bark, carbolic acid and other chemical combinations.[13] Some chemicals which could be used as a douche were "capable of inducing an abortion."[14]
Bagley, Joseph M. (2016). A History of Boston in 50 Artifacts. University Press of New England. ISBN9781611689648.
Brodie, Janet Farrell (1994). Contraception and Abortion in Nineteenth-century America. Cornell University Press. ISBN9780801484339.
Cox, Gladys M. (1937). Clinical Contraception (2nd ed.). London: William Heinemann. ISBN9781483225487.
Draznin, Yaffa Claire (2001). Victorian London's Middle-class Housewife: What She Did All Day. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN9780313313998.
Fuller, Wayne E. (2003). Morality and the Mail in Nineteenth-Century America. Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. ISBN9780252091353.
Gordon, Linda (1973). "Voluntary Motherhood; The Beginnings of Feminist Birth Control Ideas in the United States". Feminist Studies. 1 (3–4): 5–22. JSTOR 1566477.
Parker, W. Thornton (1886). "Concerning Vaginal Injections". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. 6: 8. doi:10.1001/jama.1886.04250010016003. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
Stanley, Autumn (1995). Mothers and Daughters of Invention: Notes for a Revised History of Technology (Paperback ed.). New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. ISBN9780813521978.
Tone, Andrea (September 2000). "Black Market Birth Control: Contraceptive Entrepreneurship and Criminality in the Gilded Age". The Journal of American History. 87 (2): 435–459. doi:10.2307/2568759. JSTOR 2568759. PMID 16858903.
Tone, Andrea (2001). Devices and Desires: A History of Contraceptives in America. New York: Hill and Wang. ISBN9780809038169. vaginal syringe.
April 11, 2024
vaginal, syringe, vaginal, syringe, object, used, 19th, century, western, world, douching, treating, diseases, birth, control, were, fairly, common, time, were, openly, discussed, because, taboos, about, discussing, feminine, hygiene, were, most, often, made, . A vaginal syringe was an object used in the 19th century in the Western world for douching treating diseases and for birth control Vaginal syringes were fairly common at the time but were not openly discussed because of taboos about discussing feminine hygiene 1 Vaginal syringes were most often made of metal glass or Bakelite 2 Pewter vaginal syringe in case 19th century Contents 1 History 2 Treating disease and douching 3 Birth control 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 SourcesHistory editVaginal syringes were marketed under various names such as the ones made by the E Edwards and Company of New York called Lady s Friend or the Diamond Syringe No 10 3 It was important for manufacturers to be vague in advertising because they could be arrested on obscenity charges like Ezra Heywood was for advertising a vaginal syringe in his newspaper in 1882 4 His involvement in the issue led his wife Angela Heywood to speak openly about birth control and feminine hygiene as a woman s natural right 5 Others like Sarah Chase were arrested for selling vaginal syringes as a method of birth control 6 Vaginal syringes have been recorded in paintings by the 17th century artist Jan Steen 7 Women have created and patented vaginal syringes for use as birth control as early as the 1879 model developed by Ann Palmer 8 Treating disease and douching editVaginal syringes were used to treat maladies such as leucorrhea or disease of the pelvic viscera by injecting water or water and chemicals into the vagina 9 Vaginal syringes were also used to treat menstrual cramps 7 The vaginal syringe was also used to promote the Victorian notion that douching was an appropriate method of feminine hygiene 10 By the 1930s many reputable gynecologists were reporting that habitual use of a vaginal syringe was unhealthy 11 Birth control editThe vaginal syringe as a method of birth control was available to women in the early nineteenth century 12 In the 1860s Henry Dyer Grindle advocated using vaginal syringes for the application of spermicide into the vagina after sexual intercourse 13 Women used different types of spermicides with the vaginal syringes including alum chloride of zinc baking soda vinegar borax white oak bark carbolic acid and other chemical combinations 13 Some chemicals which could be used as a douche were capable of inducing an abortion 14 See also editBirth control SyringesReferences editCitations edit Gannon Megan 21 February 2014 200 Year Old Douche Found Under New York s City Hall Live Science Retrieved 24 March 2016 Williams A R 29 March 2014 11 Museum Surprises Rediscovered Treasures from a Celtic Brooch to an Early Hitchcock Film National Geographic Archived from the original on April 1 2014 Retrieved 24 March 2016 Fuller 2003 p 181 Tone 2001 p 37 Gordon 1973 p 14 Tone 2000 p 435 a b 1800s Douche Found Under New York City Hall The History Blog 20 February 2014 Retrieved 24 March 2016 Stanley 1995 p 273 Parker 1886 p 8 9 Collins Angela R 12 March 2014 A Lady s Syringe The Office of the State Archaeologist The University of Iowa Retrieved 24 March 2016 Cox 1937 p 157 Draznin 2001 p 100 a b Brodie 1994 p 73 74 Bagley 2016 p 142 Sources edit Bagley Joseph M 2016 A History of Boston in 50 Artifacts University Press of New England ISBN 9781611689648 Brodie Janet Farrell 1994 Contraception and Abortion in Nineteenth century America Cornell University Press ISBN 9780801484339 Cox Gladys M 1937 Clinical Contraception 2nd ed London William Heinemann ISBN 9781483225487 Draznin Yaffa Claire 2001 Victorian London s Middle class Housewife What She Did All Day Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press ISBN 9780313313998 Fuller Wayne E 2003 Morality and the Mail in Nineteenth Century America Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois ISBN 9780252091353 Gordon Linda 1973 Voluntary Motherhood The Beginnings of Feminist Birth Control Ideas in the United States Feminist Studies 1 3 4 5 22 JSTOR 1566477 Parker W Thornton 1886 Concerning Vaginal Injections JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association 6 8 doi 10 1001 jama 1886 04250010016003 Retrieved 24 March 2016 Stanley Autumn 1995 Mothers and Daughters of Invention Notes for a Revised History of Technology Paperback ed New Brunswick New Jersey Rutgers University Press ISBN 9780813521978 Tone Andrea September 2000 Black Market Birth Control Contraceptive Entrepreneurship and Criminality in the Gilded Age The Journal of American History 87 2 435 459 doi 10 2307 2568759 JSTOR 2568759 PMID 16858903 Tone Andrea 2001 Devices and Desires A History of Contraceptives in America New York Hill and Wang ISBN 9780809038169 vaginal syringe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vaginal syringe amp oldid 1208729078, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
