A German Tampax brochure, about 1950 - A roughly contemporary German o.b. ad (early 1950s)
CONTRIBUTE to Humor, Words and expressions about menstruation and Would you stop menstruating if you could?
Some MUM site links:
homepage | MUM address & What does MUM mean? | e-mail the museum | privacy on this site | who runs this museum?? |
Amazing women! | the art of menstruation | artists (non-menstrual) | asbestos | belts | bidets | founder bio | Bly, Nellie | MUM board | books: menstruation and menopause (and reviews) | cats | company booklets for girls (mostly) directory | contraception and religion | costumes | menstrual cups | cup usage | dispensers | douches, pain, sprays | essay directory | extraction | facts-of-life booklets for girls | famous women in menstrual hygiene ads | FAQ | founder/director biography | gynecological topics by Dr. Soucasaux | humor | huts | links | masturbation | media coverage of MUM | menarche booklets for girls and parents | miscellaneous | museum future | Norwegian menstruation exhibit | odor | olor | pad directory | patent medicine | poetry directory | products, current | puberty booklets for girls and parents | religion | Religión y menstruación | your remedies for menstrual discomfort | menstrual products safety | science | Seguridad de productos para la menstruación | shame | slapping, menstrual | sponges | synchrony | tampon directory | early tampons | teen ads directory | tour of the former museum (video) | underpants & panties directory | videos, films directory | Words and expressions about menstruation | Would you stop menstruating if you could? | What did women do about menstruation in the past? | washable pads
Leer la versión en español de los siguientes temas: Anticoncepción y religión, Breve reseña - Olor - Religión y menstruación - Seguridad de productos para la menstruación.

"Invisible": Amira menstrual tampon brochure, Germany, probably early 1950s

As far as I know, the three tampons in Germany shortly after World War II were Tampax, an American brand; o.b., created in Germany; and another German tampon, Amira, below (ad, 1979; actual tampons and box, Mexico, 1967).

See a German Tampax brochure, about 1950 - A roughly contemporary German o.b. ad (early 1950s)
Dutch ad (August, 1979) showing blue liquid and nudity. Mexico: box of tampons, 1967

Because of their sizes I had to break each side of the brochure into two parts.

A Dutchman generously sent these scans.

 

My (Harry Finley's) translation:

Amira tampon

In the critical days, every smart woman avoids anything that attracts attention and that can bother herself or other people.

How difficult that was when you had no material that didn't attract attention and made it easy to appear just as on every other day!

No wonder women are excited by the soft and completely absorbent Amira tampons. One uses them without ruffling the clothes. Pads, belt and pins disappear. No more soreness. The usual bothersome smell can't develop.

5 Amira tampons are the size of a normal pack of cigarettes. One tampon can be concealed in the closed hand. It can be carried everywhere without attracting attention. It can comfortably be carried in a handbag or in the pocket of a dress. No woman will surprise herself anymore.

Doctor's rules for use

1. After removal of the cellophane wrapping and loosening of the little band [string] insert the tampon in a semi-squatting position or with one foot on a chair.

2. Insert Amira tampon diagonally toward the back and as fast as possible because of its great absorption ability. Often it's necessary to tilt the tampon to the right.

3. Grasp the Amira tampon on the band-side end between the thumb and middle finger and insert 3 to 4 centimeters deep. It lies then in a pear-shaped space that's closed at the top and where it's impossible to lose it. It's not possible to feel it. It can never dam up the discharge. (See the doctor's opinion on page 6.)

4. If the tampon causes pressure, slides out or cause discomfort it's incorrectly inserted, that is, not inserted deeply enough.

5. The little band remains outside and allows the tampon to be pulled out.

6. Changing tampons is a matter of experience. In heavier days it must be changed more often.

7. You don't have to remove it when urinating.


 

Inserting Amira tampons requires practice. Don't be misled by the unfamiliar handling. Read the instructions attentively several times. When you correctly use the tampon its advantages will be so astonishing that you won't want not to use it.

Amira tampons are manufactured under medical supervision. According to recent medical reports from foreign countries millions of woman are already using tampons. No health problems have been reported in these millions of cases.

Dr. Sch., gynecologist, Düsseldorf, writes on 7 November 1949:

"I've tried your tampon and am satisfied. The sometimes expressed fear of women, that a damming would occur, can't happen because the strong muscles of the uterus and its powerful contractions don't allow that. And the vaginal space where the tampon sits is too big for the tampon to fully occupy and allows room for the discharge that the tampon doesn't absorb."

The tampon was first introduced in Germany after the war [but see Tampax advertising in the Netherlands from 1939.] Everywhere in the world


 

it's a necessity for women. Here in Germany it gets new convinced adherents every day. They are all enthusiastic!

Miss Trude Fr., in Fürth i. B. writes on 15 May 1949: " . . . The tampon caused neither pressure nor any other kind of trouble and I could dance unhindered for hours. I couldn't detect any kind of health problem during or after the period . . ."

Mrs. Toni G. in U. writes on 24 May 1949: "I'm positively disposed toward the use of Amira. tampons. I couldn't say that in the first days of the period because I had not inserted the tampon deep enough and felt pressure when walking and sitting. But after I saw that the tampons are to be inserted rather deeply I can only say after repeated use that their use is very pleasant and don't hinder or cause pressure. I wasn't hindered when riding the bicycle for long distances."

Mrs. H. M. in D. writes on 25 May 1949: " . . . Even after the first try with your Amira tampons I was completely convinced that you ideally solved a difficult problem for us women with your tampons. Because of your Amira tampons the 'critical days' lose a great deal of their discomfort . . ."

You can get Amira tampons at every leading specialty store (pharmacy, drug store, perfume store, etc.)

Expressly ask for Amira tampons, the modern hygiene for women: invisible, odorless, antiseptic.

small package 5 tampons 0.5 German marks

large package 10 tampons 0.95 German marks

Amandi Corporation

Unterkochen/Württemberg [Germany]


 

(on left side):
Available through:

(on right side):
INVISIBLE


A German Tampax brochure, about 1950 - A roughly contemporary German o.b. ad (early 1950s)

© 2006 Harry Finley. It is illegal to reproduce or distribute work on this Web site in any manner or medium without written permission of the author. Please report suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org