How the first gaskets appeared.
On the issue of female hygiene, the gaskets play one of the most important roles. Moreover, they are able to make life easier and get rid of many troubles. To imagine a situation in which gaskets suddenly disappear in the world, it is no longer possible. But there were times when women could only dream of such luxury.
How the first gaskets in the history of mankind appeared
Formally, something similar, of course, existed in ancient times, but call it gaskets, and just a means of hygiene, will be stupid. To some inventions, it is impossible to apply another name except “plugs”.
Judge for yourself, women in ancient Egypt used a softened papyrus from which they built something remotely reminiscent of a swab. By and large, it was a compressed piece of grass that the ladies tried to plug the bleeding.
Other countries did not lag behind and used similar plugs from various materials. Paper, moss, animal skins, grass were used.
In the mid-50s of the 19th century, some men decided to help women and began to come up with devices that were more reminiscent of instruments of torture.
Some looked like a belt with buttons, clamps, springs and bags for collecting menstrual fluid. All this was extremely uncomfortable, often meaningless, and even sold hard.
And soon it was completely restricted in connection with the law on the ban on pornographic products and everything that is connected with this.
In 1983 alone, such a thing appeared in the United States as “female hygiene” and this made it possible to sell goods without a doctor’s prescription.
The only problem was that these goods still did not exist. In addition to the miracle of belts with clothespins, the industry of caring for herself could not offer anything.
Women with the arrival of menstruation had to stay at home, abandon travel and limit themselves to move.
Homemade gaskets and towels of the Lister
While women have adapted to make home -made gaskets in the world, which most often made from gauze or from the same materials as children’s diapers, the Americans learned about one curious product, which was called the Lister towels.
Joseph Lister was a pioneer of sterile medicine and it was his idea that was implemented by Johnson and Johnson.
Everything looked quite presentable, individual packaging, sterile gaskets, although not very similar to modern.
Nevertheless, it was no worse than the homemade braids used in the world. Joseph saw a great future for his invention, but did not think that women were simply shy about even talking about this!
The theme with menstruation caused disgust, rejection and was the prohibited. Everyone understood that this is a natural process and physiology could not be canceled, but morality has tabered any conversations on such topics.
Women were shy about their monthly problems and preferred to cope with them as they like, but not by buying hygiene products. The goods that everyone needed was not sold, because they were stupidly embarrassed to ask!
World War I influenced the invention of high -quality gaskets
There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. The nurses trying to somehow help soldiers in the battlefields forced to bandage open fractures and bullet wounds hundreds of times a day.
At some point, they began to notice that cellulose absorbs blood at times more efficiently than cotton.
Bints from this material began to enjoy incredible popularity, and soon women began to use it to make homemade gaskets.
But the cellulose gaskets did not stand on the stream. For some reason, the observation of field nurses did not know anything in Kotex, which became revolutionary in the market for female hygiene.
In 1920, it was this company that launched the production of gaskets that did not need to be tied with belts and fixed with various clamps. They consisted of cotton and fabric.
The main thing that was done in the cattex was made sure that the woman did not have to ask the product from the seller and say aloud the word gasket.
It was decided to arrange the goods in such a way that anyone could simply take it and give the money in silence.
This immediately caused sales growth, but due to the high price of the gasket, it still did not become products of mass consumption. They were bought by units.
The first competitor at the Kottex appeared only in 1927, 7 years later. They were all the same guys from Johnson and Johnson, who seriously finalized the leafer towels, or rather invented a completely new product. After that, dozens of manufacturers rushed into the market, a struggle began for a share in the gasket market.
Did the alternatives have the gaskets themselves?
While some tried to invent a convenient laying, others decided that it would be more convenient not to absorb blood, and not allow it to enter the outside.
In 1930, Leona Chalmers patented a reusable menstrual bowl, and in 1931 Dr. Earl Haas presented his invention to the public – Tampon.
The swab, by the way, has not changed since his invention by and large. So he has always been. In general, many liked this approach so much that it seemed to this brilliant solution to the problem.
Gertrude Tendrich immediately bought a patent from Dr. Earl, founded the company Tampax and put production on stream. It is curious that she made tampons right at home.
Distribution of women’s hygiene goods
In 1940, they seemed to be ashamed. This was facilitated by a powerful advertising campaign from Johnson and Johnson. The slogan was very sharp and clear – because Modesses.
Modess is the name of the gaskets that were made in Johnson and Johnson. In general, the attitude to hygiene began to change, it was not only normal, but also fashionable. It became practically necessary to use tampons and gaskets.
Tampons appeared with a special, greased tip. A separate series is released for teenage girls. The menstrual bowl was modified and again tried to break into the market.
But women did not appreciate the invention this time. After short attempts, I had to turn off an advertising campaign.
How and when there were gaskets in the USSR
In 1963, a breakthrough occurred in the west – gaskets with adhesive tape were on sale. In the United States, the problem was completely solved, but in the USSR there were no tampons at all, and there were simply not enough gaskets.
And it was almost impossible to find them. This situation lasted until the 80s! Tampons appeared only by the beginning of the 90s and Russian women were delighted to put it mildly. A completely new life has begun!
Now it is already extremely difficult to keep track of inventors, almost every year new items are produced that can level the effects of “these days” on a woman’s life.
But even despite full access to all the necessary tools, a huge number of ladies are tormented monthly. How the representatives of the gentle sex lived before the funds of hygiene and painkillers arrived on the market, it is difficult to imagine.