Obviously not Tampax, but Cleopatra may very well have used tampons. No kidding! I am currently reading a fictional biography of Cleopatra. Actually, this particular book uses more historical facts to then draw conclusions about Cleopatra’s life than some books I have read about her. Not as much fun as romantic fictional accounts that are loosely written, but very interesting none-the-less.
While reading about her short life and what she had to go through to stay alive and rule, I thought about how she also had to manage her periods. Go figure that I thought about that! The reason that popped into my mind is that when I first began working on Tampax, I read a history about tampons and learned that the ancient Egyptians fashioned disposable tampons from softened papyrus.
While no one has proof, in my mind there is no doubt that an enlightened, educated woman who spoke at least 5 languages and ruled hundreds of thousands people used tampons. Of course, she had lots of servants who could have disposed or cared for cloth or grasses or whatever options existed back at 50 to 36 BC – certainly none as comfortable as the current disposable pad offerings. As for me, I will continue to believe that Cleopatra used rolled papyrus, especially when she was in exile or pursued for death by her loving brother or her other enemies.
On the Tampax.com website, there is an interesting article on the history of tampons through time. Along with that, there is a history of Tampax tampons. One fact to note is that it was a male physician who thought of taking the tampon beyond improvisation; beginning in 1929, he attempted to invent a product that could be manufactured and marketed expressly for absorbing the menstrual flow. Of that, I say: Thanks DOC!!
Below is the link to the history of tampons and Tampax. I would love to hear what you think!
http://www.tampax.com/en-US/aboutTampax/aboutTampax.aspx?utm_source=blogger&utm_medium=NurseElaine&utm_content=link20110126&utm_campaign=comm_mgr
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