by William Petrick
(Page 2)
by William Petrick
(Page 2)
It's even harder to imagine the difficulty of wearing other pessaries such as the
so-called block pessary. This square block of wood was carved with concave sides
not unlike some door stops. The Victorians, according to some accounts, were
especially fond of this method. It was finally condemned in the early 1930's as
an instrument of torture.
The Museum is quick to remind visitors that contraception can trace its roots all
the way back to the Bible. In the Book of Genesis (38:9), Onan practices coitus
interruptus: "And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass,
when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest
that he should give seed to his brother." More reliable methods, however, were
available even in ancient times. According to an ancient medical manuscript
called the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC), women were advised to grind together dates,
acacia (a tree bark), and a touch of honey into a moist paste, dip seed wool into
the sweet gel and place it in the vulva. As primitive as this sugary mix appears,
it was usually effective. Acacia eventually ferments into lactic acid, a well
known spermicide.
Pessaries made their appearance in the second century, according to the museum.
They were made of many different substances including elephant and crocodile dung.
The museum displays examples of each. "The elephant dung was especially hard to
obtain," says Mr. Masanic. "It was surprising."
