What do crocodile dung and beaver-testicle tea have in common? They both were used as contraceptives.
More than 650 items are in the collection at the History of Contraception Museum.


That bit of trivia can be learned at the History of Contraception Museum at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. More than 650 items are in the collection at the one-of-a-kind museum.

Visitors will find rows of cervical caps, while condoms are on display near the douches.

Percy Skuy, 72, a retired Canadian pharmacist, spent nearly 40 years assembling the museum. The items were largely donated by medical professionals and family planning services, or are recreations of historical contraceptive devices.

"These artifacts really tell an important sociological story of human motivation to want to limit family size over hundreds and thousands of years in different cultures and in different countries," Skuy said.

He emphasized the creativity of people through history, who used materials readily available for folk contraceptive remedies.

"Some were useless, some harmful and some could probably have shown a reasonable degree of effectiveness," Skuy said.

James Edmonson, the school's chief curator, said there can be an initial "giggle factor" when visiting the birth control museum. But he said there's a serious side to the collection. He noted that the quest for birth control transcends religions and cultures.

Edmonson believes the permanent exhibit will be popular among students, researchers and the public. A museum setting, he said, is ideal for exploring sensitive topics.


Useful links:
Condom History