Category:
Hygiene

Clamp for Male Urinary Incontinence

I think you could substitute something like this from the hardware store.

Full patent here.









Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 29, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Hygiene, Technology, 1950s, Men

Follies of the Madmen #602

Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 09, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Art, Domestic, Hygiene, Advertising, Historical Figure, 1960s

Butt Irrigator

Complete patent here.





Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 26, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Body, Diseases, Domestic, Hygiene, Inventions, Patents, 1960s

Suction-Cup Bathtub Slipper

Instead of providing safety, these look likely to kill the wearer, as the bather struggles to break the grip of the suction cups.

Full patent here.



Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 02, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Domestic, Hygiene, Inventions, Patents, 1930s, Feet

Follies of the Madmen #597

An epic crossover! Rosie (of Bounty fame) meets Mr. Whipple (of Charmin notoriety).

Posted By: Paul - Fri May 31, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Domestic, Hygiene, Advertising, Retailing, Wimps, Milquetoasts and Cowards, 1970s

Follies of the Madmen #595

This commercial is mundane and unexceptional--barring one thing.

The woman lays her poopy child directly onto one of the Bake Sale tables.

Posted By: Paul - Sun May 12, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Food, Hygiene, Advertising, Babies and Toddlers, 1970s

Miss Dial

In 1949, Terry Leah won the title of "Miss Dial" in a contest sponsored by Dial Soap. As far as beauty titles go, this one wasn't that unusual. But what was unusual was that, as part of the responsibility of being Miss Dial, Terry had to take a bath, using Dial Soap, in the window of Eckerd Drug Company in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Adding to the public exposure, Dial promised that the person who took the best photo of Terry as she bathed would win $25.

Charlotte News - July 7, 1949



Charlotte Observer - July 8, 1949



Young Dickie Higgins was determined to win that prize. I'd bet that was the most exciting day of his life up until then. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find out who did win the photo prize.

"Dickie Higgins takes a shot of dancer Terry Leah, who is posing in a bubble bath in a Charlotte, North Carolina, store window advertising a new line of bath soap."
NY Journal American - July 28, 1949



(left) Greenville News - July 9, 1949; (right) Raleigh News and Observer - July 14, 1949

Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 22, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Hygiene, Photography and Photographers, 1940s

Follies of the Madmen #590

Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 18, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Crime, Hygiene, Advertising, 1980s, Europe

Is your washroom breeding Bolsheviks?

Time - Oct 19, 1931



Some discussion of the ad from Paradoxes of Nostalgia by Penny Von Eschen:



It sounds like the ad inspired quite a few parodies, but I was only able to find one:



The ad also provided the name for a 1988 album by the punk rock group The Neurotics:

Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 16, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Hygiene, Advertising, 1930s

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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