By Rick Hendershot
**Condoms in Ancient Times**
Preventing conception has been a goal of men and women since before recorded history. And the condom has been the primary device used for this purpose.
But the real impetus for using various protective measures -- even in ancient times -- was to prevent the spread of disease and infection. Eliminating direct contact between sex partners made sense even to the ancients. So it is not surprising that we can find many historical references to the predecessors of the modern day condom.
Ancient Egyptians used a linen sheath to protect themselves against the spread of insects and tropical diseases. The Chinese used oiled silk paper wrapped around the penis, while Japanese men used leather and tortoiseshell sheaths.
**Early Condoms in Europe**
Some ancient Romans appear to have used a tampon-like device dipped in herbs, or condoms made of goats' bladders. And there is even earlier evidence of condom use in Europe found in cave paintings at Combarelles in France.
The first published reference to condom use in Europe was by Gabrielle Fallopius in the 1500s. A severe syphilis epidemic had spread across Europe, and this led to the development of a linen sheath aimed at protecting men from becoming infected with syphilis.
Further developments took place in the 1500s when some of these linen sheaths were soaked in a solution of salt and herbs meant to serve as a spermicide. This would enhance protection against infection as well as increase the condom's effectiveness as a contraceptive device.
**Condom Developments in the 1600s and 1700s**
By the early 1700s we start seeing references to the word "condum". Some historians suggest that the word comes from the name of the doctor of Charles II who was charged with creating a device to prevent the king from fathering illegitimate children. Others think it comes from the Latin "condus" for "receptacle". Still others think the word "condom" is a corruption of the name of an English army doctor called Colonel Quondam who has been given credit for inventing the gut condom sometime around 1645.
Regardless of where the word comes from, it is clear that condoms were being widely used in Europe by the middle of the 1600s. Various writers of the period make references to using condoms. James Boswell, for instance, was a Scottish lawyer and writer, who used a linen condom to protect himself against infection. And Casanova, Europe's most famous lover used what he referred to as a 'Redingote Anglaise' (English Riding Coat) to protect himself against disease and to prevent conception.
It was also about this time that condoms made from animal intestines became available. They were more effective than the linen type, but because they were quite expensive they were often reused, making them more likely to pass disease on to partners. This even led to the concept of the specialised condom shop. In London two ladies, Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Perkins, had competing condom supply shops and sold bladders, sheaths and other contraceptive devices to apothecaries and well-heeled condom users. Another lady operated a second-hand condom business selling washed condoms to the less well-to-do.
**Rubber Condoms**
The end of the gut condom came in the 1840s shortly after the rubber vulcanisation process was discovered by Goodyear and Hancock. Before vulcanisation, natural rubber lacked elasticity and was susceptible to changes in temperature. But this new discovery meant that a much more user-friendly type of condom could be manufactured quickly and cheaply.
These early rubber condoms were more elastic than the earlier gut codoms, so they could stretch and did not tear as easily. But they were quite thick -- much like an inner tube -- and had a seam down one side, so they were far from perfect.
**Latex Condoms**
In 1919, Frederick Killian started using a hand-dipping process using natural rubber latex. The resulting latex condoms were far superior to their rubber predecessors. They were thinner, more elastic, did not age as quickly and were odorless. Within ten years, American manufacturers were producing more than 1.5 million latex condoms a day.
The production of latex condoms has remained virtually unchanged since the 1930s. In the condom factory glass moulds are "dipped" into liquid latex a number of times, turning between layers to insure an even coat of latex. After the condoms are released from the moulds they are dried and powdered. Finally they go through a series of tests to make sure there are no problems.
**Condom Popularity**
After the development of the birth control pill in the early 1960s, condom use declined considerably. But the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s changed all that. Now it is recognized that condoms are the only effective means of protecting against the spread of sexually transmitted disease, and they have become widely available in pubs, bars, grocery stores, and supermarkets.
In the late 1990s condoms started being sold on the internet.
If you are buying online, make sure the website features a broad range of name brand condoms, contains helpful information about condom alternatives, and is reachable by phone so you can talk to a real person.
About the Author: To buy brand name condoms online visit condoms in the UK. See info about Condoms and STDs. Rick Hendershot is a writer and online publisher. For promotion ideas see Linknet Promotions.
Source: www.isnare.com
