See a later Meds tampon, an earlier ad and some undated instructions.
See a Modess True or False? ad in The American Girl magazine, January 1947, and actress Carol Lynley in "How Shall I Tell My Daughter" booklet ad (1955) - Modess . . . . because ads (many dates).
DIRECTORY of all topics (See also the SEARCH ENGINE, bottom of page.)
CONTRIBUTE to Humor, Words and expressions about menstruation and Would you stop menstruating if you could?
Some MUM site links:
homepage | LIST OF ALL TOPICS | MUM address & What does MUM mean? | e-mail the museum | privacy on this site | who runs this museum?? |
Amazing women! | the art of menstruation | artists (non-menstrual) | asbestos | belts | bidets | founder bio | Bly, Nellie | MUM board | books: menstruation and menopause (and reviews) | cats | company booklets for girls (mostly) directory | contraception and religion | costumes | menstrual cups | cup usage | dispensers | douches, pain, sprays | essay directory | extraction | facts-of-life booklets for girls | famous women in menstrual hygiene ads | FAQ | founder/director biography | gynecological topics by Dr. Soucasaux | humor | huts | links | masturbation | media coverage of MUM | menarche booklets for girls and parents | miscellaneous | museum future | Norwegian menstruation exhibit | odor | olor | pad directory | patent medicine | poetry directory | products, current | puberty booklets for girls and parents | religion | Religión y menstruación | your remedies for menstrual discomfort | menstrual products safety | science | Seguridad de productos para la menstruación | shame | slapping, menstrual | sponges | synchrony | tampon directory | early tampons | teen ads directory | tour of the former museum (video) | underpants & panties directory | videos, films directory | Words and expressions about menstruation | Would you stop menstruating if you could? | What did women do about menstruation in the past? | washable pads
Leer la versión en español de los siguientes temas: Anticoncepción y religión, Breve reseña - Olor - Religión y menstruación - Seguridad de productos para la menstruación.

Ads for Modess sanitary napkins and Meds tampons, U.S.A., 1946
Emphasizing freedom of movement

Personal Products Company, of Johnson & Johnson, made both items and one complements the other. Both ads emphasize freedom of movement although the tampon won hands down if you ask me (which you didn't). Just the year before the Dickinson report examined the advantages tampons had over menstrual pads. Women hated that they shifted around, partly a fault of the menstrual belts of the era - or of any era.
The Modess ad emphasized softness (small print at bottom). Look how coarse the gauze covering the pad used to be, which was what many women complained about (see the Gilbreth report, 1927).
Both products died, Meds because it was too big, Modess probably because of the demise of sanitary napkin belts to hold the thick pads.
Looking at the fine white lines in the black areas, it's probable the artist used scratchboard for the top ad, a common and beautiful way to make technical drawings and ads in the early-to-middle 20th century. The secret was cardboard covered with a layer of chalk. First the artist drew a picture on the white chalk. Then (s)he filled in the drawing with India ink. Then, usually using specially made scrapers - (s)he could use a pin or Exacto knife - (s)he scraped away the areas to be white, like fine lines. The results could be striking. I believe you can still today buy scratchboard and scrapers. I made some illustrations in scratchboard for the magazine where I was the art director a zillion years ago.
Norah B. kindly sent the scans.
 
 
See a Modess True or False? ad in The American Girl magazine, January 1947, and actress
Carol Lynley in "How Shall I Tell My Daughter" booklet ad (1955) - Modess . . . . because ads (many dates).

 
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