History of the trusty condom

Condoms are amongst the most common forms of contraception used by people across the globe. They are the only method that has the added benefit of protecting both partners from contracting a sexually transmitted infection. If you feel you may have been exposed to such an infection you can contact a Home StI kits company such as https://www.bexleysexualhealth.org/home_sti_kits to complete the kit in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

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Condoms have an incredibly long history and there is evidence to suggest that the first ones were used as far back as 13,000 years ago. Of course these were nowhere near as safe and well designed as the myriad of choices that a couple have nowadays.

Here are a few historic facts relating to the trusty condom.

• The earliest recorded condom has been depicted in a cave painting that dates back to 11,000 BC in France. It is thought that the sheath that the man shown in the painting was wearing is the skin of one animal or another.

• It is thought that during the Egyptian era that men would wrap their penises in linen not only to protect themselves from the blistering sun but also to prevent insect bites from occuring when they exposed themselves during sexual activity.

• Ancient Romans used the bladders and intestines of various animals including sheep and goats as a form of contraception. Although it is hard to believe than in the orgy ridden Roman Empire that they would have had the foresight to ensure that they had these readily available to them.

• In the 15th Century a Japanese and Chinese form of condoms was being established and the Glans condom covered just the tip of the penis and was again created from animal intestines and was also created from silks and even shells the horns of a number of different animals. All we are going to say is … ouch!!

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• In the 16th Century Syphilis began circulating and claimed many lives. It took Gabriele Falloppio, the physician who names the Falloppian tubes to develop a more sophisticated condom to help prevent the further spread of this sexualluy transmitted infection. This version was a linen that was soaked in chemicals and was tied at the base of the penis to prevent it from falling off during sex.
• It wasn’t until the 19th Century and the invention of rubber vulcanisation by Charles Goodyear that the path was laid for the development of the modern day latex condom. By 1855 the first rubber, non-animal condom was developed.
• The final stage in the development of the modern day condom came with the discovery of latex itself. Condoms could now be made in large numbers, relatively cheaply and made to cover the entire penis.