SC - condoms - OT

[Jeff Gedney]

> > ...I once again used my merchant booth as a distribution point 6000
> > condoms were passed out that year...
> 
> But this is hardly period either, Ras.  Unless, I guess, the condoms were
> sheep gut or linen (or were they only used in Johnson's era and not in
> period?  Oddly enough, I don't know much about the history of the condom).
> I think that you are being a bit hypocritical here (not that I disapprove
> what you were doing - but then, I can stand a bit of "unperiod" behaviour at
> events.).


Actually, they may indeed be period...
from A breif History of the Condom:
( http://mcc.yazigi.com.br/abriefhistoryofthecondom.htm )

"The condom is one of the oldest forms of contraception. 
Its use can be traced back thousands of years. 
It is believed that a form of modern-day condoms were used by the 
Egyptians as far back as 1,000 B.C. 
The earliest evidence of condom use in Europe are scenes from cave 
paintings at Combarelles in France. Dated 100 to 200 AD. 
The first known published description and trials regarding prophylactic
condom use were recorded by the Italian Gabrielle Fallopius in the 
1500's. He claimed to have invented a sheath made of linen and 
conducted trials amongst 1,100 men using the condom - none of who 
became infected with syphilis. 
The origin of the word 'condom' is still unknown. Folklore attributes 
the invention to Dr. Condom or Conton, who was at the court of King 
Charles II in the 1600's. It is more likely, however, that the name 
derives from the Latin 'condus', meaning receptacle. 
The condom, made of animal gut, became well known and increased in 
popularity in the 1700's. Literature of that time suggests that the 
condom's contraceptive (rather than just prophylactic) properties had 
already been realised. By 1766 many shops were producing handbills 
and advertisements. 
Japanese are known to have used two types of condom. The 'Kawagata' 
or 'Kyotai' was made of thin leather and the 'Kabutogata' was made 
from tortoiseshell or horn. 
Documentation also suggests that legendary 19th Century lover 
Casanova was a regular user of this type of contraception. He referred 
to condoms as 'Redingote Anglaise' (English Riding Coat). "

Two things are interesting in this quotation,
1) known and documentably period condoms were designed to be used 
primarily for disease prevention.

2) Casanova's use of the term "English Riding Coat" is interesting, cause 
the English at the same time called it a "French Purse"