See Dr. Grace Feder Thompson's
letter appealing for patients, Lydia E. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound, and Orange Blossom medicine,
Dr. E. C. Abbey's The Sexual System and Its Derangements,
which emphasises masturbation, as doe Dr. Pierce, and several small
boxes of old American patent medicine for women.
 
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Dr. R. V. Pierce's patent medicine empire and hospital, often
concerned with women's diseases, cancer, digestive illness, fatigue,
headache, physical therapy, female weakness, hysteria, nervous
disorders, gynecology and menstruation
Selections from "The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser
in Plain English; or, Medicine Simplified," 1895, Buffalo, New York
Was Dr. Pierce a hypocrite?
Below: "The
Chattanooga Vibrator [see second illustration,
at the bottom of the page] in use on a male patient, about 1904."
(From Rachel Maines, The Technology of Orgasm, p. 99). I would guess this
rectal stimulation affected the prostate, which would sexually excite the
man.
Maines calls this the "Cadillac of vibrators"
(p. 15).
"Catalog illustrations show treatment of both
sexes, including treatment of males through
the rectum [below]. The company assured prospective purchasers that
'this instrument will be found to be an invaluable aid
to the physician in the treatment of all nervous diseases and female troubles,'
later adding that 'in cases where the patient is a
woman and the nervousness is caused by either the ovaries or uterus,
particular attention should be given to the lower
part of the spine and also to the affected organs themselves.' (Maines,
p. 95)
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Below: "The
Chattanooga Vibrator, sold to physicians for about $200 in 1900.
From The Chattanooga Vibrator (Chattanooga, Tenn., Vibrator Instrument
Company, [ca. 1904]), cover." (Maines, p. 16)
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End | Pages 906-7 (Manipulator)
| 908-9 | 910-11 (steam-powered
Manipulator) | 912-13 | 914-15
| 916-17 | 918-19 (diseases
of women)
| 920 (illustration of machine room) | vaginal electrodes | doctor's
vibrator set | | The Chattanooga vibrator &
rectal vibration
© 2008 Harry Finley. It is illegal to reproduce or distribute any
of the work on this Web site in any manner
or medium without written permission of the author. Please report suspected
violations to hfinley@mum.org
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