"Faultless Feminine Syringe," No.
240, made by the Faultless Rubber Company, Ashland, Ohio, U.S.A., perhaps
from the 1960s or 1970s.
 
|
 
Mon Docteur vaginal douche set (complete?), with (separate?) documents,
American, 1928-29?
The douche tablets
Mon Docteur - French for "My Doctor" (a nice medical connection
with French haughtiness and naughtiness, huh?) - douche apparatus allegedly
cured many ills, beautified the user and even could prevent her from dying.
This was an era when a "germ"-free vagina led to better health
rather than to worse health as believed today. (Read Luci Rome's essay on why women should not douche. And for the heck
of it, surprise yourself with what causes
menstrual odor.)
Women could also buy an early menstrual cup associated with the same
company. See it as well as more literature about the beauty-douching connection
(!) here and here.
And read what Leona Chalmers, who developed an early menstrual cup,
writes about douching in a roughly contemporary book, The
Intimate Side of a Woman's Life.
|
 |
The box measures 3 3/8" x 2 1/4" x 7/8"
(8.6 x 5.8 x 2.3 cm). Cotton helps keep the tablets from breaking.
|
 |
Above: Glassine, a semitransparent paper seldom seen today,
still covers one ot the boxes.
|
 |
Back of the box, above.
|
 |
Above and below: the long
sides.
|
 |
Harry Finley created the images.
|
Copyright 2006 Harry Finley
|