A few years ago, when I worked on a research paper, MUM proved to be a significant source of information, particularly for the abundance of feminine hygiene advertisements.
Anyhow, yesterday, I bought a book made by the writers of The Onion called "Our Dumb Century" with fake newspaper front pages from the past 100 years. I was flipping through it today when I saw a front page for a date in 1925 with this fake ad down at the bottom.
The image shows a dainty young woman sitting on a hill, one arm wrapped about a lamb, clouds puffy behind her (in the drawing style popular in 1920s ads)
The text:
Leaking?
Permit our new "Unspeakables" disposable hygienic underbandage to gently absorb Milady's foul drippings during her less dainty time of the month. Far less cumbersome than the wire-constructed strap-on "secretion cages." "Unspeakables" will leave ladies as free as a soap bubble wafting ever heavenward.
Available at most pharmacies in discreet, featureless gray boxes [women often bought the boxes already wrapped in paper], for your privacy.
As a connoisseur of old feminine hygiene ads (a title my family is not particularly proud of, even if I am), I must say that The Onion's send-up was extremely good (even if there were no such thing as secretion cages). I knew you'd definitely see the humor in it, too.
Take care.
One of my friends just forwarded me the article that was written about your museum. I forwarded it along to several other friends. I think that it is great that you took the time to put this together. I always wondered what women did about these things in ages past.
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.
Ali Kedge.
ali@shortkedge.freeserve.co.uk or fflic.zip@business.ntl.com
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.