The 'Lambutt' health spray ladies' syringe vaginal douche

Rubber vaginal douche, The 'Lambutt' health spray ladies' syringe with cardboard box and instructions, by Lamberts, London

This vaginal douche or syringe is an example of a type of “feminine hygiene” product which was popular in the late 1800 and early 1900s. It markets itself as being convenient and portable. Water or other liquids were placed in the bulb, the nozzle was inserted into the vagina and the liquid sprayed inside. The rubber guard could be used to create suction and reduce mess. Douching has a long history dating back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans, if not earlier. It has been used as both a contraceptive method and for vaginal hygiene purposes. In the early 1900s, products like this one were advertised as being necessary to maintain a clean vagina and disinfectants were even marketed for use in vaginal douches. While douching is now less popular, its place has been taken by a wide range of soaps and cleansing wipes. These products are also advertised as being necessary for maintaining a clean and fresh vulva. This is a growing market, despite the vagina being self-cleaning and the skin of the vulva being particularly sensitive. Both the douche and these modern products continue the myth and stigma that vulvas and vaginas are unclean and unhygienic.