Our lives are surrounded by various objects, many of which we’ve seen nearly every day. As mundane as many such items may seem, they often have surprising, and considerably more interesting, origins. Many were originally invented for completely different purposes than what they are currently used for.10 VibratorsPleasure
The vibrator is an item that almost every woman owns, though few may admit to it. Interestingly, it was not invented for . . . you know what. Instead, it was invented by doctors to “massage” women suffering from “hysteria,” which today is simply identified as sexual frustration. Symptoms of hysteria included chronic anxiety, loss of sleep, nervousness, irritation, and a heavy feeling in the abdomen.Back then, women suffering from hysteria often visited a doctor who would perform a “pelvic massage” until they reached a state of “hysterical paroxysm.” (Hopefully, you know what that means.) Considering the “treatment” involved, it isn’t really
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Listerine was originally a surgical disinfectant. It was made by the Johnson brothers, who were looking for a way to make surgeries safer and were inspired by English surgeon Sir Joseph Lister. In 1879, they came up with an antiseptic liquid which they called Listerine after Sir Lister. Listerine was advertised and sold as a surgical disinfectant that could also be used to treat wounds, dandruff, athlete’s foot, and even insect bites. In one instance, it was even sold as a deodorant. The Johnson brothers later teamed up with pharmacist Jordan Wheat Lambert and began selling Listerine to dentists for use as an oral antiseptic. Lambert’s children are responsible for making Listerine into the mouthwash we know today after they asked the company’s chemist to tell them all the things Listerine could be used for. The chemist included bad breath (also called halitosis), and the company began advertising it as such.1 Corn