1. Tampons are not new and have been used by women for centuries.
2. The ancient Greeks invented tampons made from lint wrapped around a small piece of wood, recorded in writing by Hippocrates in the fifth century B.C.
3. The ancient Egyptians invented the first disposable tampons made from softened papyrus.
4. Byzantine women used tampons made of soft white wool.
5. Other materials used for the first tampons have included: wool, paper, vegetable fibres, sponges, grass, and later cotton.
6. The first commercial tampons were used in the United States in the late 1920’s or early 1930’s.
7. The modern tampon (with applicator) was first patented by Doctor Earle Haas, who wanted to make a tampon capable of being mass produced.
8. Earle Haas filed for his first tampon patent on November 19, 1931.
9. His patent description was for a "catamenial device," derived from the Greek word for monthly.
10. The trademark and patent were purchased by Gertrude Tendrich.
11. Initially the public resisted tampons, and doctors had medical objections.
12. The first applicator tampon was sold in 1936.
13. In 1928, photographer Lee Miller created controversy by being the first real person to appear in an ad for a menstrual product.
14. Courtney Cox Arquette was the first person to say ‘period’ on TV in a commercial.
15. Other famous people who appeared in tampon ads include Susan Dey, of The Partridge Family and LA Law fame.
16. Some early tampons didn’t have strings.
17. Early tampon boxes did not state how many tampons were inside.
18. In your life, you will probably use around 11,400 tampons (5 days X 5 tampons X 38 years)
19. Hotels used to have little burners specifically for women to burn their "soiled" clothes in.
20. Tampon is French for plug.
1. Tampons are not new and have been used by women for centuries.