New this week: New
Freedom, an early beltless pad (American, by Kotex; box bears a copyright
of 1970) - ad for New Freedom (November 21, 1971,
The Milwaukee Journal)
Letters to Your MUM
But Howard Stern was a year ago!
As I have discovered since I opened the museum five years ago, the
media do not necessarily stay in contact with you after they have done their
thing. Apparently the Howard Stern TV show just
broadcast its filming of this museum of May 1998. I wonder how it went?
I just saw you on the Howard Stern radio TV show - wild! Nice job!
What did women use in the olden days?
I enjoyed your site very much; I am glad that this sort of thing has
been set up. I found it very informative and interesting.
However, I have a question that I feel you are qualified to answer.
In my studies of history, there is one thing I am acutely curious about
but cannot seem to find the answer: before underwear
was widely used, what did women use for their period? I'm thinking
about the era of perhaps sixteenth to nineteenth century. Perhaps my answer
is on your site, but I was unable to find it. Can you enlighten me?
Right before I opened MUM, in August 1994, I wrote Assistant Professor
Monica Green, of the Duke University history department, who was quoted
in an article about ancient contraception in The New York Times, for sources
about old European ways of dealing with menstruation.
She replied that almost nothing was known
about that from the end of the Roman Empire till the nineteenth century,
because women's history in general was ignored as not being important.
My guess is that women used cloth pads attached to some sort of belt,
which was the custom in America up until the early 1970s. I suspect
that most woman did not use anything inserted into the vagina, such as sponges or tampons; there
seems to be a Christian reluctance to do that.
It's quite possible that poor and rural women used nothing
at all, just bleeding into their clothing; this is also possible
with American pioneer women, at least some
of them.
Tolerance of odor was greater in many past
cultures and some women could stay home when menstruating.
Japan actually had a menstrual-leave policy
for certain industries after World War II because of the shortage
of pad material.
Remember that women in former times did not
menstruate as much as modern women.
Women were pregnant and lactating more
often, and earlier;
were more likely to be undernourished
or suffer from certain diseases, which can stop menstruation;
and, on average, died younger.
The BBC wants to hear from you if your
cycle is a blessing, makes you
creative, if you have experience with menstrual
seclusion, or know about current
research !
Here's your chance to say how you feel about
menstruation!
Please, may I post a letter on your letter page?
I'm researching a documentary for the BBC [British
Broadcasting Corporation] about menstruation -
myths and facts and blessing or curse.
I have much information about the curse and prejudice but I
am finding scant information about the blessing! I was thrilled
to find medical information linking surgery for breast cancer and the menstrual
cycle and the New Scientist report about differing medication levels required
during the 28-day cycle, and the research about eating requirements differing
during the cycle etc., but I want to hear from women
who have evidence of the cycle as a blessing, for example, artists, writers,
etc., who are at their most creative whilst menstruating.
I also want to meet women who practice menstrual
seclusion, as with menstrual huts of
the past [and of the present; women still use menstrual
huts].
And anything and everything to do with research into menstruation.
Next week I am interviewing Mr Peter Redgrove and Penelope Shuttle
who wrote the first book on menstruation that offered positive information,
The Wise Wound, 1978. I am very excited about
asking many questions resulting from the book. If
you have any questions for them pertaining to the book or their second
book, Alchemy for Women, about the dream cycle corresponding to the menstrual
cycle, I would be delighted to forward them to them on your behalf.
They are not on the net so any questions would have to have addresses!
Thank you so much for this glorious Web site [many thanks to you for
saying that!] and I look forward to hearing from visitors to your site.
Help Wanted: This Museum Needs a
Public Official For Its Board of Directors
Your MUM is doing the paper work necessary to become eligible to receive
support from foundations as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. To achieve
this status, it helps to have a American public official - an elected or
appointed official of the government, federal, state or local - on its board of directors.
What public official out there
will support a museum for the worldwide culture of
women's health and menstruation?
Eventually I would also like to entice people experienced in the law,
finances and fund raising to the board.
Do You Have Irregular Menses?
If so, you may have polycystic ovary syndrome
[and here's a support association for it].
Jane Newman, Clinical Research Coordinator at Brigham
and Women's Hospital, Harvard University School of Medicine, asked
me to tell you that
Irregular menses identify women at high risk for polycystic ovary syndrome
(PCOS), which exists in 6-10% of women of
reproductive age. PCOS is a major cause of infertility
and is linked to diabetes.
Learn more about current
research on PCOS at Brigham and Women's
Hospital, the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania State University
- or contact Jane Newman.
If you have fewer than six
periods a year, you may be eligible to participate
in the study!
New this week: New
Freedom, an early beltless pad (American, by Kotex; box bears a copyright
of 1970) - ad for New Freedom (November 21, 1971,
The Milwaukee Journal)
© 1999 Harry Finley. It is illegal
to reproduce or distribute work on this Web site in any manner or medium
without written permission of the author. Please report suspected violations
to hfinley@mum.org