Peacocks Redi-Wet Rubber
date: label: date made
content: ca 1930s - 1950s
name: label: collection
content: Reid Drugstore
label: maker
content: Dean Rubber Manufacturing Company
notes: label: Description
content: This Peacocks brand condom was produced by the Dean Rubber Manufacturing Company of North Kansas City, Missouri during the middle of the 20th century. Dean was one of the leading manufacturers of condoms during this period.
label: Description
content: The single condom is wrapped in a yellow plastic packaging. The condom’s packaging notes that each condom is individually tested and hand rolled, and is hygienically lubricated. The condom is branded “redi-wet” because each condom was lubricated before it was packaged.
label: Description
content: In 1872, the Comstock Act had prohibited interstate commerce in obscene literature and immoral material. Condoms and other forms of birth control fell under the category of “immoral material.” As forbidden material, condoms were rarely advertised openly. However, during the early twentieth century, rising concerns about gonorrhea and syphilis led a growing number of public health advocates to call for condoms to be sold to prevent disease. In 1918, a court case in New York, (The People of the State of New York v Margaret H. Sanger) clarified that existing penal codes allowed physicians to prescribe condoms to prevent disease. Named after Judge Frederick Crane who wrote the opinion in the case, the Crane decision opened the door for condom manufacturers to openly advertise and sell condoms, provided they were sold as a disease preventative.
label: Description
content: Peacock's Reservoir Ends were sold as a prophylactic or preventive against disease. Among the more expensive condoms sold during the early to mid-twentieth century, Peacock condoms were sold primarily in drug stores. As was true with most more expensive condoms, Peacocks were tested to ensure that they had no tears or rips.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Missouri, Kansas City
topic: label: associated subject; web subject
content: Birth Control/Contraception
label: associated subject; web subject
content: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
label: Subject
content: Sex
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Blanche E. Reid
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1984.0351.278
label: accession number
content: 1984.0351
label: catalog number
content: 1984.0351.278
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Condom
label: Object Name
content: contraceptive, condom
label: Other Terms
content: Condom; ?; Contraceptives; Drugs
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 in x 2 3/4 in x 1/4 in; 2.54 cm x 6.985 cm x .635 cm