See other o.b. ads: French (ooo.ooo.b., 1989) - German (early 1950s) - German (1970s) - German nude (1970s) - French (1989) - German ("Egyptian," 1970s)

What does o.b. mean?

A British Tampax ad using nudity (1992) - And see other ads directed at teenagers.

See a Modess True or False? ad in The American Girl magazine, January 1947, and actress Carol Lynley in "How Shall I Tell My Daughter" booklet ad (1955) - Modess . . . . because ads (many dates).
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.

o.b. (obé) menstrual tampons, Europe, 1970
Tampon

The classic tampon with no applicator in the United States is this one even though many of the earliest tampons also had no applicator (fax and Wix, for example). But women forgot those after Tampax, with its famous applicator, triumphed. But not in Europe, where o.b. has long enjoyed popularity.

Tambrands, former maker of Tampax tampons (now part of Procter & Gamble), kindly donated the box as part of a large gift from its archives.

 
The tampon measures 2" (5 cm) long and is 0.5" (1.3 cm) in diameter. A cellophane-like material encases each one; they are loose in the box.
 
 The blue double string is 4.625" (11.7 cm) long.
 
Probably to investigate the 'pon, someone at Tambrands ripped it apart, then put it with the box and contents into a plastic bag sealed with a rubber band; almost thirty years later the company gave it to me.
NEXT instructions - Box (first page) - pocket pouch - tampon
See other o.b. ads: French (ooo.ooo.b., 1989) - German (early 1950s) - German nude (1970s) - German ("Egyptian," 1970s) - A British Tampax ad using nudity (1992) - And see other ads directed at teenagers.

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