Shocking facts about the life and hygiene of women in Europe in the XVIII-XIX centuries. Hygiene in the Middle Ages: how it was
Articles about the female organism.
Very interesting article.
An excerpt on menstrual hygiene. And so much more informative.
“The vulva is not ideal for menstruation, as evidenced by the fact that in its centuries-old history, mankind has never come up with an impeccable hygiene option for women.
Let's take a quick look at the history of menstrual hygiene. Throughout the centuries, there have been a wide variety of hygiene options. One of the oldest methods is the seclusion (i.e. isolation) of menstruating women from society. It was quite common in Polynesia and among African tribes. Each settlement had a special hut for menstruating, in which women were supposed to be during their menstruation. Why was this done? In short, it boils down to isolating menstruating women in order to ensure their greatest safety. However, was this goal the only one? Here is a quote from one historian: “... since the clothes of women of that time did not completely hide their condition, such a woman would become an object of ridicule for others, if even the slightest trace of her illness was noticed on her, she would lose the affection of her husband or lover. Thus, we see that natural bashfulness is based solely on the consciousness of one's own lack and the fear of ceasing to be liked. " So, the lack of basic hygiene products in ancient times forced a woman to be isolated during menstruation. The emergence of menstrual hygiene products made seclusion unnecessary, but it became necessary to develop hygiene products, the main task of which was both to ensure the absorption of secretions and to hide the woman's condition from others.
In Ancient Egypt, papyrus was used, from which wealthy Egyptians made tampons. Papyrus was very expensive, so simple Egyptians used linen that was washed after use. In Byzantium, tampons made of papyrus or similar material were also used. Such tampons were unlikely to be comfortable, since the papyrus is very cruel.
In ancient Rome, pads were used, and sometimes tampons made from balls of wool. There is evidence of the use of tampons in ancient Greece and Judea. But, apparently, the most common means of hygiene in ancient times were reusable pads made of one or another material such as canvas, fabric, silk, felt, etc.
In medieval Japan, China, India, feminine hygiene was set very high, many orders of magnitude better than in Europe. It was in Asia that disposable pads were first introduced. Asians used disposable paper napkins, folded in an envelope. Such an envelope was held in place by a handkerchief attached to the belt. Later in Japan menstrual belts began to be made (if the author is not mistaken, they are called "you"), which was a belt with a strip passed between the legs. A napkin was placed between the strip and the vulva: the belt was reusable, the napkin was disposable. Outwardly, such a belt somewhat resembled an inverted basket. Every intelligent Japanese woman should have been able to make herself such a belt.
In Polynesia, specially prepared bark of plants, grass, sometimes animal skins and sea sponges were used. The Indian women of North America seem to have done much the same.
In Europe during the Middle Ages, feminine hygiene was at its lowest. Commoners, for example, simply used the hem of their shirts or petticoats tucked between their legs. In Russia in the XVII-XVIII centuries, the so-called. "Shameful ports", that is, something like tight-fitting trousers or long panties (ordinary panties were not worn then) made of thick material - menstrual flow was absorbed directly by the ports that were under the extensive skirts.
It should be noted that in the Middle Ages, menstruation was a rare "guest" for European women. Menstruation then began at the age of 16-18 years, stopped at the age of about 40-45 years. Since there were no contraceptives, many women were almost constantly in a state of pregnancy or lactation (in the process of feeding with milk, menstruation is usually absent). Thus, many women in their entire life could have only 10 - 20 menstruation, that is, as much as a modern woman has on average in a year or two. It is clear that the issues of menstrual hygiene were not then as acute for European women as they are now. However, by the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the problem of menstrual hygiene for American and European women was already extremely acute.
In America and Europe of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, they used reusable homemade felt or canvas pads, which, after use, were folded into a bag, then washed and reused. Some adopted the Chinese method using paper envelopes. In cases where it was impossible to carry a used gasket with you or it was not advisable to keep the gasket, the women burned it in the fireplace. The custom of burning the gaskets in the fireplace did not arise by accident. The fact is that the toilet bowl became widespread only at the end of the 19th century (although it appeared two centuries earlier). Before the appearance of the toilet in England (and in many European countries), women wrote in pots, while closing in a bedroom or other room; after urination or defecation, the pots were taken out by the servant or by the woman herself. Therefore, menstrual hygiene products were also changed in rooms, since there were simply no special toilet facilities at that time. Note that in those days, almost any dwelling was equipped with a fireplace. Therefore, it was easier to burn the gasket in the fireplace than to take it out in the trash. This was especially true when a woman was traveling - in this case, apparently, it was easier to donate a reusable pad than to carry it with you for a long time. For this purpose, a fireplace was used. At the end of the 19th century in England there were even special portable crucibles for burning gaskets - for those cases when there was no fireplace at hand!
It wasn't until the 1970s that the habit of wrapping used pads in paper or newspaper and throwing them in the trash can was formed. XX century with the widespread use of disposable pads - before that, as we can see, either preserving pads for subsequent washing, or burning or throwing them away was used. Nonetheless, reusable panty liners were uncomfortable for women, not only because of the unpleasant washing (which maids did for the rich), but also because of the need to collect used pads during menstruation.
For additional protection, aprons were used, dressed in the manner of underwear, that is, they additionally protected the upper skirt from contamination. Quite a long time in the 10s - 30s. XX century (or even longer) in America (possibly in Europe) menstrual briefs were used, called briefs or bloomers (the origin of the names is unclear, they are not translated into Russian). Tampons, like disposable pads, were virtually unknown in America, Europe and Asia at the time.
Significant changes took place during the First World War. Then the French nurses in military hospitals noticed that the cellucotton material (something like cotton wool made from cellulose) developed by the American company Kimberly Clark, which was widely supplied to Europe for military purposes, perfectly absorbs menstrual flow and began to use it, in fact having created the first self-made, but already disposable pads in Europe.
This discovery had a significant impact on the further development of menstrual hygiene, advising Kimberly Clark to produce pads from this material. The first disposable pads, called Cellunap, were released in 1920, but marketing them in America proved to be extremely problematic. In principle, women were enthusiastic about the idea of disposable pads (this was shown by a thorough and very difficult sociological survey at that time), but it was obvious that women were very shy about menstruation. Advertising or flaunting the pads was then unthinkable, women were embarrassed to even buy pads, which were then only sold in pharmacies; often mothers sent foolish little daughters for pads. When buying, women were very embarrassed to even pronounce the name of the product, using only the last syllable, that is, "nap". Nap (nap) - in English means "napkin", and this term is quite widely rooted - for many years the word nap was used to refer to napkins, that is, napkin, although napkins, of course, were not. Soon the Cellunapes were renamed Kotex, but they were still sold in packages without inscriptions or drawings.
Nevertheless, opinion polls confirmed that only embarrassment when buying prevents the wide distribution of new products - women did not like reusable felt pads, but they were embarrassed to ask for “sanitary napkins” at the pharmacy. The times were very puritanical, especially in America.
Then the manufacturing companies (such as Kotex, Fax and others) launched a wide campaign on a very accurate, but persistent and thoughtful advertising of hygiene products, the most important link of which were books for girls, where they talked about puberty, menstruation and "unobtrusively" the need to use the products of this or that company (the most famous such book is "The 12th Birthday of Marjorie May", which caused an outburst of indignation among old-fashioned moralists). Disney made an educational cartoon about menstruation for girls. An advertisement for pads appeared on the pages of women's magazines.
This policy led to a fairly rapid success, by 1940 the share of reusable felt pads decreased to 20%, and after the war, by the end of the 40s. - up to 1%, after which reusable pads are a thing of the past. Nevertheless, only the sexual revolution of the 60s. finally removed many taboos, including the taboo on television and street advertising of feminine hygiene products.
What were the first industrial gaskets like Kotex? Menstrual belts were used to carry the "napkins". Euro-American belts differed from Japanese ones, which resembled an inverted basket - they were a fairly thin horizontal elastic belt worn at the waist, from which two straps descended in front and behind, ending in metal clips (like curtain clips). A gasket was attached to these clamps, passed between the legs. The designs of the belts were somewhat different, but had the same basic diagram. The pads themselves were very long and thick, usually rectangular in shape, and covered the entire crotch. The absorbency of the pads was rather low, so sometimes two pads were attached to the belt at once. Changing the pad was not an easy task; after urination, the woman was most likely always fitted with a new pad. This led to the fact that women preferred to endure as long as possible before going to the toilet, which was detrimental to health. Considering that then stockings were worn, also attached to the belt, then one can imagine how much time and effort the process of urination of a menstruating woman took then.
The gaskets were different, and the opinions of women about them are very different, so it is not easy to draw a general conclusion. Apparently, these pads were soft and did not chafe the vulva. On the other hand, it was difficult to install them in the right position, they often got confused and leaked, even though they were somewhat thickened at the bottom. Therefore, women wore special tight briefs, sometimes with a waterproof layer in the crotch, which reduced leaks, but caused increased sweating of the vulva. Some underpants had special devices for additional fastening of the pad. If a menstruating woman was going to dance or wear expensive beautiful clothes, then for additional protection they also wore something like a sash. These gaskets had to be changed several times a day.
Nevertheless, for Europe and America, it was a huge step forward - from reusable to disposable hygiene products. Such belts were quite widespread until the end of the 60s, but later gradually faded away with the advent of pads with an adhesive layer, which had a different wearing principle.
The first industrial tampons appeared in America in the late 1920s. (Fax, Fibs, Wix). They did not have applicators, sometimes even lanyards. The first tampon with an applicator (the famous Tampax) appeared in America in 1936 and began to spread gradually. The proliferation of tampons was greatly aided by Dickinson's famous report, "Tampons as a Menstrual Remedy," published in 1945 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. To a certain extent, this report helped to overcome women's mistrust of the very idea of a tampon. Nevertheless, in the 20s - 50s. tampons for American and European women were still "exotic", and tampons were widely used, apparently, only in the 70s.
Disposable pads of the current concept were introduced around the late 1960s. - thinner ones that did not require belts to wear, but were placed in panties or stockings. Note, however, that the very first such disposable pads by Johnson & Johnson appeared back in 1890 (!), Curads in 1920, but they did not take root at all then, since the female society was simply not ready for the idea of disposable hygiene products.
In the 1960s, tampons with applicators of various types - from pin to telescopic, usually plastic, became more common. At the same time, advertising of pads and tampons on television and in women's magazines was widely deployed.
Acceleration (due to which the age of first menstruation within just a few generations decreased from 16 to 12-13 years), an increase in the age of menopause (cessation of menstruation), the widespread development of contraceptives, a significant decrease in the number of children in a European and American family, the development of emancipation - all this has led to an increase in the number of menstruation in the life of women and made the problem of hygiene much more urgent than before. The revitalization of women's lives also set new requirements - quick change of hygiene products, invisibility to others, availability for sale, reliability, ease of wearing, etc. All this could be provided only by disposable hygienic products of industrial production. Already in the 70s. the life of a civilized woman without factory tampons and pads has become unimaginable.
In the 80s, the gaskets continued to be improved, a protective bottom layer and a "dry" absorbing layer, wings appeared; began to use absorbent materials that turn blood into a gel; pads began to be made taking into account the structure of the female perineum (anatomical shape). The pads became more blood-consuming and at the same time thinner, the range expanded - from the mighty “overnight” to the thinnest “for every day”. Tampons also developed - for example, tampons with telescopic applicators became more popular, which began to be made more often from cardboard (because, unlike plastic, cardboard is easily dissolved in water and therefore is more preferable from an environmental point of view).
Around the same period, feminine hygiene products began to rapidly internationalize - brands such as Tampax, Ob, Kotex, Always, Libresse and others are widespread throughout the world and are rarely found only in poor countries (however, the richest ladies, even in the poorest countries, are increasingly use world brands). Some countries add their own "national" brands to them. National brands can be roughly divided into two categories. The first one is cheaper in comparison with international models. In Poland, these are Bella gaskets, in Russia - Angelina, Veronica and others, including Polish ones. Such products are generally not as convenient as international ones. The second category is products that meet national tastes and preferences to a greater extent than international ones. In France, for example, Nana and Vania pads (provided with a wrap in which the pads can be wrapped after use), in Japan, tampons with longer and usually plastic applicators, supplied with plastic bags for wrapping used tampons, etc.
Note that there are also certain national preferences in the choice of hygiene products. They do not always lend themselves to explanation, but they are often very well traced. So, Japanese women categorically do not accept the idea of introducing a finger into the vagina, therefore, almost all Japanese tampons have applicators, and rare non-applicator brands are supplied with rubber fingertips! In general, Japanese women definitely prefer pads. Asians, Hispanics and Russians also prefer to use pads. American women definitely prefer tampons, in Western Europe the prevalence of tampons and pads is comparable. The author assumes (but has no confirmation) that Muslim women use only pads, and homemade ones, since menstrual advertising is prohibited in Muslim countries.
In the USSR until the end of the 80s. industrial tampons did not exist at all, and industrial-made pads were extremely rare and were occasionally sold in pharmacies under the name ... "hygiene product" - in a word, the situation in America in the 1930s was reproduced with anecdotal accuracy. But in each book for schoolgirls, it was explained in detail how to make cotton pads wrapped in gauze. This "know-how" was perfectly mastered by all Soviet women.
The first Tampax tampons and pads appeared in the USSR in the early 90s. and caused a real sensation among women. Tampax's first ad appeared in Burda magazine in 1989. The page showed a tampon with an applicator in the background of a box. There was also a short text, the essence of which boiled down to the fact that with Tampax tampons in the vaginas, Russian women would gain freedom and unprecedented comfort.
The author personally observed how female students literally froze, opening a page with this advertisement and fascinatedly studied the contents of this advertisement for a long time. The magazine passed from hand to hand until all the students were familiar with this advertisement. An interesting psychological subtlety: usually the girls looked at the page in groups of two, often whispering to each other. Consequently, they were not ashamed of menstruation among themselves, but when the guys appeared, they pretended to be considering the styles of dresses. It should be noted that at the time of the appearance of this advertisement, neither tampons nor pads were on sale, and the girls could only use homemade pads. The girls were delighted with the idea of the tampon.
At first, hygiene products were expensive, there were many cheap, low-quality Eastern European handicrafts, so the spread of new hygiene products was rather slow. The first to menstruate in industrial products were rich ladies, girlfriends of bandits, thieves and other "new Russians". However, the spread of world brands was hampered not only by the high price and general poverty, but also by a certain prejudice of Soviet women against industrial hygiene products (“why buy at a high price, when I myself can make a pad much cheaper”). Foreign manufacturers were interested in the speedy distribution of their products on the Russian market. And then, as in post-war America, advertising was launched into battle, the purpose of which, in our case, was to convince Russian women that menstruating "the old fashioned way" in homemade pads was now simply out of fashion. It was necessary to break the stereotype and convince women, especially young women, that life without Coteks, Tampaxes, Olvays is simply impossible.
Everyone remembers the times when the country literally drowned in advertising menstruation. This flood of advertising, very tactless, loud and intrusive, at first terribly embarrassed and shocked both women and men. There was even a movement "Against advertising of pads and for maiden honor" (however, we note that pads have nothing to do with maiden honor, rather the opposite - the one that "observes honor" just definitely menstruates, unlike her "flown" girlfriends ). However, the impudent and assertive advertising has done its job - the modern generation of 15 - 25-year-old girls menstruate only in pads and tampons of industrial production and simply do not agree with any homemade products (although the secret of making homemade products has probably not been lost in the Russian provinces). In addition, the embarrassment of girls in this matter has decreased - if earlier girls did not talk about their menstruation in principle and were extremely embarrassed about any mention of it, now girls look at menstruation as a completely natural phenomenon - intimate, but in principle not shameful. Thank you for this ad. "
Different eras are associated with different smells. the site publishes a story about personal hygiene in medieval Europe.
Medieval Europe, quite deservedly smells of sewage and the stench of rotting bodies. The cities were not at all like the neat Hollywood pavilions in which costumed productions of Dumas's novels are filmed. The Swiss Patrick Süskind, known for his pedantic reproduction of the details of the life of the era he describes, is horrified by the stench of European cities of the late Middle Ages.
The Queen of Spain Isabella of Castile (end of the 15th century) admitted that she had washed only twice in her entire life - at birth and on her wedding day.
The daughter of one of the French kings died of lice. Pope Clement V dies of dysentery.
The Duke of Norfolk refused to wash, ostensibly for religious reasons. His body was covered with abscesses. Then the servants waited until his lordship got drunk dead drunk, and barely washed it.
Clean, healthy teeth were considered a sign of low parentage
In medieval Europe, clean, healthy teeth were considered a sign of low birth. Noble ladies were proud of bad teeth. Representatives of the nobility, who by nature got healthy white teeth, were usually ashamed of them and tried to smile less often so as not to show their "shame".
In the manual of courtesy, published at the end of the 18th century (Manuel de civilite, 1782), it is formally forbidden to use water for washing, "for this makes the person more sensitive to cold in winter and to heat in summer."
Louis XIV washed only twice in his life - and then on the advice of doctors. The monarch was so horrified by the washing that he swore never to accept water procedures. Russian ambassadors at his court wrote that their majesty "stinks like a wild beast."
The Russians themselves were considered perverts throughout Europe because they went to the bathhouse once a month - ugly often (the widespread theory that the Russian word "stink" and comes from the French "merd" - "shit", while, however, we recognize it as excessively speculative).
Russian ambassadors wrote about Louis XIV that he "stinks like a wild beast"
For a long time, the preserved note, sent by King Henry of Navarre, who had a reputation as a hardened Don Juan, to his beloved, Gabriel de Estre, has been walking around the jokes: "Do not wash, dear, I will be with you in three weeks."
The most typical European city street was 7-8 meters wide (for example, the width of an important highway that leads to Notre Dame Cathedral). Small streets and lanes were much narrower - no more than two meters, and in many ancient cities there were streets a meter wide. One of the streets of old Brussels was called "One Man's Street", which indicates that two people could not disperse there.
Bathroom of Louis XVI. The lid on the bathroom served both to keep warm, and at the same time as a table for studies and food. France, 1770
Detergents, like the very concept of personal hygiene, did not exist in Europe until the middle of the 19th century.
The streets were washed and cleaned by the only janitor who existed at that time - rain, which, despite its sanitary function, was considered a punishment of God. The rains washed away all the dirt from the secluded places, and stormy streams of sewage rushed through the streets, which sometimes formed real rivers.
If in the countryside cesspools were dug, then in the cities people defecated in narrow alleys and in yards.
Detergents in Europe did not exist until the middle of the nineteenth century
But the people themselves were not much cleaner than city streets. “Water baths warm the body, but weaken the body and dilate the pores. Therefore, they can cause illness and even death, ”stated a medical treatise of the 15th century. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that contaminated air could enter the cleaned pores. That is why public baths were abolished by the highest decree. And if in the 15th - 16th centuries the rich townspeople bathed at least once every six months, in the 17th - 18th centuries they stopped taking a bath altogether. True, sometimes I had to use it - but only for medicinal purposes. They carefully prepared for the procedure and put an enema the day before.
All hygiene measures were reduced only to light rinsing of the hands and mouth, but not the entire face. "In no case should you wash your face," wrote physicians in the 16th century, "because catarrh may occur or vision may deteriorate." As for the ladies, they washed themselves 2-3 times a year.
Most aristocrats escaped the dirt with the help of a perfumed cloth, with which they wiped the body. It was recommended to moisten the armpits and groin with rose water. Men wore bags of aromatic herbs between their shirts and vests. Ladies used only aromatic powder.
Medieval "cleaners" often changed their underwear - it was believed that it absorbs all the dirt and cleanses the body of it. However, the change of linen was treated selectively. A clean, starched shirt for every day was the privilege of wealthy people. That is why white ruffled collars and cuffs came into vogue, which testified to the wealth and cleanliness of their owners. The poor people not only did not wash, but also did not wash their clothes - they did not have a change of clothes. The cheapest coarse linen shirt cost as much as a cash cow.
Christian preachers urged to walk literally in tatters and never wash, since this is how spiritual cleansing could be achieved. It was also impossible to wash because it was possible to wash off the holy water that he touched during baptism. As a result, people did not wash for years or did not know water at all. Dirt and lice were considered special signs of holiness. Monks and nuns provided other Christians with an appropriate example of serving the Lord. They looked at cleanliness with disgust. Lice were called “pearls of God” and were considered a sign of holiness. Saints, both male and female, usually boasted that the water never touched their feet, except when they had to wade the river. People relieved themselves wherever they could. For example, on the front staircase of a palace or castle. The French royal court periodically moved from castle to castle due to the fact that there was literally nothing to breathe in the old one.
The Louvre, the palace of the French kings, did not have a single toilet. They were emptied in the yard, on stairs, on balconies. In case of "need", guests, courtiers and kings either squatted on a wide window sill by the open window, or they were brought "night vases", the contents of which were then poured out at the rear doors of the palace. The same thing happened in Versailles, for example, during the time of Louis XIV, whose life is well known thanks to the memoirs of the Duke de Saint Simon. The ladies of the Palace of Versailles, right in the middle of a conversation (and sometimes even during a mass in a chapel or cathedral), got up and casually, in a corner, relieved a small (and not so) need.
The story is known, as once the ambassador of Spain arrived to the king and, having entered his bedchamber (it was in the morning), he got into an awkward situation - his eyes were watering from the royal amber. The ambassador politely asked to transfer the conversation to the park and jumped out of the king's bedroom as if scalded. But in the park, where he hoped to breathe fresh air, the hapless ambassador simply fainted from the stench - the bushes in the park served as all the court's permanent latrine, and the servants poured out sewage there.
Toilet paper did not appear until the late 1800s, and until then people were using the tools at hand. The rich could afford the luxury of wiping with strips of cloth. The poor used old rags, moss, leaves.
Toilet paper did not appear until the late 1800s.
The walls of the castles were equipped with heavy curtains, blind niches were made in the corridors. But wasn't it easier to equip some toilets in the yard or just run to the park described above? No, this did not even occur to anyone, because the tradition was guarded by ... diarrhea. With the appropriate quality of medieval food, it was permanent. The same reason can be traced in the fashion of those years (XII-XV centuries) for men's trousers-pantaloons consisting of one vertical ribbons in several layers.
Flea control methods were passive, such as scratching sticks. The nobility fights insects in their own way - during Louis XIV's dinners at Versailles and the Louvre, there is a special page for catching the king's fleas. Wealthy ladies, in order not to breed a "zoo", wear silk undershirts, believing that the louse will not cling to the silk, because it is slippery. This is how silk underwear appeared, fleas and lice really do not stick to silk.
Beds, which are frames on chiseled legs, surrounded by a low lattice and always with a canopy, acquire great importance in the Middle Ages. Such widespread canopies served a completely utilitarian purpose - so that bedbugs and other cute insects did not fall from the ceiling.
It is believed that mahogany furniture became so popular because bed bugs were not visible on it.
In Russia in the same years
The Russian people were surprisingly clean. Even the poorest family had a bathhouse in their yard. Depending on how it was heated, they steamed in it "in white" or "in black". If the smoke from the stove got out through the chimney, then they steamed "in white". If the smoke went directly into the steam room, then after aeration the walls were doused with water, and this was called “steaming in black”.
There was another original way to wash -in the Russian oven. After cooking, straw was laid inside, and the person carefully, so as not to get dirty with soot, climbed into the oven. Water or kvass splashed on the walls.
From time immemorial, the bathhouse was heated on Saturdays and before major holidays. First of all, the men with the guys went to wash and always on an empty stomach.
The head of the family prepared a birch broom, soaking it in hot water, sprinkled kvass on it, twisted it over hot stones, until fragrant steam began to emanate from the broom, and the leaves became soft, but did not stick to the body. And only after that they began to wash and steam.
One of the ways to wash in Russia is the Russian stove
Public baths were built in cities. The first of them were erected by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. These were ordinary one-story buildings on the banks of the river, consisting of three rooms: a dressing room, a soap room, and a steam room.
Everyone washed in such baths: men, women, and children, causing amazement to foreigners who specially came to gaze at a spectacle unprecedented in Europe. “Not only men, but also girls, women of 30, 50 or more people, run without any shame and conscience in the way God created them, and not only do not hide from outside people walking there, but also laugh at them with their immodesty ", Wrote one such tourist. The visitors were no less surprised how men and women, utterly steamed, ran out naked from a very hot bath and threw themselves into the cold water of the river.
The authorities turned a blind eye to such a popular custom, albeit with great displeasure. It is no coincidence that in 1743 a decree appeared, according to which it was forbidden for men and women to steam together in commercial baths. But, as contemporaries recalled, such a ban remained mostly on paper. The final separation occurred when baths began to be built, in which male and female branches were envisaged.
Gradually, people with a commercial streak realized that baths can become a source of good income, and they began to invest money in this business. So, in Moscow, the Sandunov Baths appeared (they were built by the actress Sandunova), the Central Baths (owned by the merchant Khludov) and a number of others, less famous. In St. Petersburg, people loved to visit the Bochkovsky baths, Leshtokovs. But the most luxurious baths were in Tsarskoe Selo.
The provinces also tried to keep up with the capitals. Almost each of the more or less large cities had their own "Sanduns".
Yana Koroleva
Believe it or not, the smell of an unwashed body was considered a sign of deep respect for one's health. They say that different times have different scents. Can you imagine how the unwashed and sweaty bodies of powdered beauties who hadn't washed for years smelled like? And it's not a joke. Get ready to learn the tricky facts.
Colorful historical films fascinate us with beautiful scenes, smartly dressed up as heroes. Their velvet and silk outfits seem to emit a dizzying scent. Yes, this is possible, because actors love good perfumes. But in the historical reality, "incense" was different.
For example, the Spanish queen Isabella of Castile knew water and soap only twice in her entire life: on her birthday and on her happy wedding day. And one of the daughters of the king of France died from ... lice. Can you imagine how large this zoo was, that the poor lady said goodbye to her life for the love of “animals”?
The note that survived from time immemorial and became a well-known anecdote gained great popularity. It was written by the loving Henry of Navarre, one of his lovers. The king asks the lady in her to prepare for his arrival: “Don't wash yourself, dear. I'll be there in three weeks. " Can you imagine how this night of love was felt in the air?
The Duke of Norfolk categorically refused to swim. His body was covered with terrible rashes, which would have led the "cleanliness" to death ahead of time. The caring servants waited until the master was dead drunk, and dragged him to wash.
Continuing the theme of medieval cleanliness, one cannot but recall such a fact as teeth. Now you will be in shock! Noble ladies showed bad teeth, proud of their rottenness. But those, whose teeth were naturally good, covered their mouths with their palm, so as not to frighten the "disgusting" beauty of the interlocutor. Yes, the profession of a dentist could not feed at that time :)
In 1782, the "Guide to courtesy" was published, which prohibits washing with water, which leads to a high sensitivity of the skin "in winter - to cold, and in summer - to heat." It is interesting that in Europe we, Russians, were considered perverts, since our love for the bath terrified the Europeans.
Poor, poor medieval women! Even before the middle of the 19th century, frequent washing of the intimate area was prohibited, as it could lead to infertility. What was it like for them on critical days?
Shocking hygiene of women in the XVIII-XIX centuries. ekah
And these days were critical for them in the full sense of this expression (maybe since then the name has "stuck"). What personal hygiene products could we talk about? Women used scraps of fabric, and they used it many times. Some used for this purpose the hem of a petticoat or shirt, tucking it between the legs.
And the menses themselves were considered a "serious illness." During this period, the ladies could only lie down and get sick. Reading was also prohibited, as mental activity deteriorated (as the British believed in the Victorian era).
It is worth noting that women did not have menstruation as often in those days as their current friends. The fact is that from the very youth until the onset of menopause, a woman went pregnant. When the child was born, the lactation period began, which was also accompanied by the absence of critical days. So it turns out that all these "red days" for medieval beauties were no more than 10-20 in their entire life (for example, for a modern lady, this figure appears in the annual calendar). So, the issue of hygiene worried women of the 18-19 centuries not particularly.
In the 15th century, the first scent soap began to be produced. The cherished sticks smelled of rose, lavender, marjoram and cloves. Noble ladies began to wash their faces and wash their hands before eating and going to the toilet. But, alas, this "excessive" cleanliness concerned only the exposed parts of the body.
The first deodorant ... But first - curious details from the past. Medieval women noticed that men respond well to the specific smell of their secretions. Sexy beauties used this technique, lubricating the juices of their body on the skin on the wrists behind the ears, on the chest. Well, the way modern women do it, using perfume. Can you imagine how this aroma attracted? And only in 1888, the first deodorant appeared, which brought a little salvation to a strange way of life.
What kind of toilet paper could we talk about during the Middle Ages? For a long time, the church has forbidden to cleanse after the toilet! Leaves, moss - this is what ordinary people used (if they did, then not all). Noble cleanliness persons had prepared rags for this purpose. And only in 1880 the first toilet paper appeared in England.
Interestingly, a disregard for the purity of one's own body did not at all mean the same attitude to one's appearance. Makeup was popular! A thick layer of zinc or lead white was applied to the face, lips were painted in a flashy red color, eyebrows were plucked out.
There was one smart lady who decided to hide her ugly pimple under a silk black patch: she cut out a round flap and glued it over the ugly pimple. Yes, the Duchess of Newcastle (that was the name of the smart lady) would have been shocked to learn that after a couple of centuries her invention will replace a convenient and effective tool called "concealer" (for those who are "out of topic" there is an article). And the discovery of the noble lady did resonate! Fashionable "fly" has become a mandatory decoration of a woman's appearance, allowing to reduce the amount of white on the skin.
Well, the "breakthrough" in the issue of personal hygiene occurred by the middle of the 19th century. This was the time when medical research began to explain the relationship between infectious diseases and bacteria, the number of which decreases many times if they are washed off the body.
So you shouldn't sigh too much about the romantic medieval period: "Oh, if I lived at that time ..." Enjoy the benefits of civilization, be beautiful and healthy!
Information about the grossly unwashed Europe in the Middle Ages, stinking streets, dirty bodies, fleas and other "delights" of this kind came mostly from the 19th century. And many scientists of that era agreed with it and gave it due, although the material itself was hardly studied. As a rule, all conclusions were based on the period of the New Age, when the purity of the body was really not held in high esteem. Contemplative constructions without a documentary base and archaeological data led many people into confusion about life and hygiene in the Middle Ages. But, in spite of everything, the thousand-year history of Europe with its ups and downs was able to preserve a huge aesthetic and cultural heritage for posterity.
Myths and reality
Hygiene in the Middle Ages, like everyday life, was unfairly subjected to harsh criticism, but the collected material of this period is quite enough to refute all accusations and separate truth from fiction.
The myths about the cultural degradation of medieval Europe, fantasized by the humanists of the Renaissance, then supplemented and disseminated by the masters of the modern era (17th-19th centuries), were intended to form a certain favorable background for future achievements. To a large extent, these myths were based on fictions and distortions, as well as on the conclusions of the devastating crisis of the XIV century. Hunger and poor harvest, social tension, outbreaks of disease, aggressive and decadent moods in society ...
The epidemics that mowed down the population of the regions twice and more, finally destabilized hygiene in medieval Europe and turned it into a flourishing of religious fanaticism, unsanitary conditions and closed city baths. Assessing an entire era as its worst period spread rapidly and became the most obvious historical injustice.
Have you washed or not washed?
Each epoch in the history of mankind, to one degree or another, differed in its concepts and criteria for the purity of the physical body. Hygiene in Europe in the Middle Ages, contrary to the prevailing stereotype, was not as terrifying as people like to present it. Of course, there could be no talk of modern standards, but people regularly (once a week), one way or another, washed themselves. And the daily shower was replaced by a wiping procedure with a damp cloth.
If you pay attention to works of art, book miniatures and symbolism of cities of that time, then the bathing and washing traditions of Ancient Rome were successfully inherited by Europeans, which was especially characteristic of the early Middle Ages. During the excavation of estates and monasteries, archaeologists discovered special tanks for washing and public baths. For home washing of the body, a huge wooden tub played the role of a bath, which, if necessary, was transferred to the right place, usually to the bedroom. The French historian also notes that private and public baths with baths, steam rooms and pools were commonplace for townspeople. At the same time, these institutions were designed for all classes.
Soap of Europe
The use of soap became widespread precisely in the Middle Ages, the hygiene of which is so often condemned. In the 9th century, the first analogue of a detergent came out from under the hands of Italian alchemists, who practiced the manufacture of cleaning compounds. Then mass production began.
The development of soap making in European countries was based on the availability of a natural resource base. The Marseilles soap industry had at its disposal soda and olive oil, which was obtained through the simple pressing of the fruit of the oil trees. The oil obtained after the third pressing was used for the production of soap. The soap product from Marseille became a significant trade commodity by the 10th century, but later it gave way to Venetian soap. In addition to France, soap making in Europe successfully developed in the states of Italy, Spain, in the regions of Greece and in Cyprus, where olive trees were cultivated. In Germany, soap factories were founded only by the 14th century.
In the 13th century in France and England, soap production began to occupy a quite serious niche in the economy. And by the 15th century in Italy, the production of solid bar soap began in an industrial way.
Hygiene of women in the middle ages
Often supporters of "dirty Europe" remember Isabella of Castile, the princess who gave her word not to wash or change clothes until the victory was won. Indeed, she faithfully kept her vow for three years. But it should be noted that this act received a great resonance in the then society. A lot of noise was raised, and a new color was even introduced in honor of the princess, which already suggests that such a phenomenon was not the norm.
Incense oils, cloths for body wiping, hair combs, spatulas for cleaning ears and small tweezers were the daily helpers in the hygiene of women in medieval Europe. The last attribute is especially vividly mentioned in the books of that period as an indispensable participant in the ladies' dress. In painting, beautiful female bodies were depicted without excess vegetation, which makes it clear that hair removal was also carried out in intimate areas. Also, a treatise by the Italian physician Trotula Sarlenskaya, dated to the 11th century, contains a recipe for unwanted body hair using arsenic ore, ant eggs and vinegar.
When mentioning feminine hygiene in Europe, one cannot but touch upon such a delicate topic of “special women's days”. In fact, little is known about this, but some findings suggest certain conclusions. Trotula mentions a woman's internal cleansing procedure using cotton, usually before intercourse with her husband. But it is doubtful that such material could have been used in the form of a tampon. Some researchers suggest that sphagnum moss, which was widely used in medicine as an antiseptic and to stop bleeding in case of combat wounds, could well have been used for pads.
Life and insects
In medieval Europe, although life and hygiene were not so critical, they still left much to be desired. Most of the houses had a thick thatched roof, which was the most favorable habitat for all living creatures to live and reproduce, especially mice and insects. During bad weather and cold seasons, they climbed to the inner surface and, with their presence, made life difficult for the residents. The situation was no better with the flooring. In wealthy houses, the floor was covered with slate sheets, which became slippery in winter, and to make it easier to move, it was sprinkled with crushed straw. During the winter period, worn and dirty straw was repeatedly covered with fresh straw, creating ideal conditions for the development of pathogenic bacteria.
Insects have become the real trouble of this era. In carpets, bed canopies, mattresses and blankets, and even on clothes, whole hordes of bugs and fleas lived, which, in addition to all the inconveniences, carried a serious threat to health.
It should be noted that in the early Middle Ages, most buildings did not have separate rooms. One room could have several functions at once: a kitchen, a dining room, a bedroom, and a laundry room. At the same time, there was almost no furniture. A little later, wealthy townspeople began to separate the bedchamber from the kitchen and dining room.
Dressing theme
It is generally accepted that the concept of "latrine" was completely absent in medieval times, and "business" was done where necessary. But this is not at all the case. Toilets were found in almost all stone castles and monasteries and were a small extension on the wall, which hung over the moat, where the sewage flowed. This architectural element was called a wardrobe.
City toilets were arranged like a village lavatory. Cesspools were regularly cleaned by sewers, who took out the waste products of people from the city at night. Of course, the craft was not entirely prestigious, but very necessary and in demand in the big cities of Europe. People of this specific profession had their own guilds and representations, like other artisans. In some areas, sewers were referred to as "night masters".
Since the 13th century, changes have come to the toilet room: the windows are glazed to avoid drafts, double doors are installed in order to prevent the penetration of odors into the living quarters. Around the same period, the first flush designs began to be carried out.
The dressing theme well reveals how far from reality the myths about hygiene in medieval Europe are. And there is not a single source and archaeological evidence proving the absence of latrines.
Plumbing and sewerage systems
It is a mistake to assume that the attitude towards garbage and sewage in the Middle Ages was more loyal than now. The very fact of the existence of cesspools in cities and castles suggests otherwise. Another conversation is that city services did not always cope with maintaining order and cleanliness, due to economic and technical reasons of that time.
With the increase in the urban population, since about the 11th century, the problem of providing drinking water and removing sewage outside the city walls becomes of paramount importance. Often, human waste products were discharged into nearby rivers and reservoirs. This led to the fact that the water from them was impossible to drink. Various methods of purification were repeatedly practiced, but drinking water continued to be an expensive pleasure. The issue was partially resolved when in Italy, and later in a number of other countries, they began to use pumps operating on wind turbines.
At the end of the 12th century, one of the first gravity water pipelines was erected in Paris, and by 1370 the operation of an underground sewage system began in the Montmartre area. Archaeological finds of gravity-flowing lead, wooden and ceramic water pipes and sewers have been found in cities in Germany, England, Italy, Scandinavia and other states.
Sanitary services
In medieval Europe, health and hygiene were constantly guarded by certain crafts, a kind of sanitary services, which made their own contribution to the purity of society.
Extant sources report that in 1291 more than 500 barbershops were recorded in Paris alone, excluding street masters practicing in markets and other places. The barber's shop had a characteristic sign: usually a copper or pewter basin, scissors and a comb were hung above the entrance. The list of working tools consisted of a shaving bowl, tweezers for hair removal, a comb, scissors, sponges and bandages, as well as bottles of "scented water". The master always had to have hot water available, so a small stove was installed inside the room.
Unlike other artisans, laundresses did not have their own workshop and were mostly lonely. Wealthy townspeople sometimes hired a professional washer, to whom they gave their dirty linen and received clean linen on pre-agreed days. Hotels and prisons for persons of noble birth acquired their own laundresses. Wealthy houses also had a permanent salary of servants who were engaged exclusively in washing. The rest of the people, who did not have the opportunity to pay for a professional washerwoman, had to wash their own clothes on the nearest river.
Public baths existed in most cities and were so natural that they were erected in almost every medieval quarter. In the testimonies of contemporaries, the work of baths and bathhouse attendants is noted quite often. There are also legal documents, which detail their activities and the rules for visiting such institutions. The documents ("Saxon Mirror" and others) separately mention theft and murder in public soap houses, which only confirms their widespread distribution.
Medicine in the Middle Ages
In medieval Europe, the church played a significant role in medicine. In the 6th century, the first hospitals began to function at the monasteries to help the weak and crippled, where the monks themselves acted as doctors. But the medical training of God's servants was so small that they lacked basic knowledge of human physiology. Therefore, it is quite expected that in their treatment the emphasis was placed, first of all, on restriction in food, on medicinal herbs and prayers. They were practically powerless in the field of surgery and infectious diseases.
In the X-XI centuries, practical medicine became a fully developed industry in cities, which was mainly occupied by bath attendants and barbers. The list of their duties, in addition to the main ones, included: bloodletting, reduction of bones, amputation of limbs and a number of other procedures. By the end of the 15th century, shops of practicing surgeons began to be established from barbers.
The "Black Death" of the first half of the XIV century, brought from the East through Italy, according to some sources, carried away about a third of the inhabitants of Europe. And medicine, with its dubious theories and a set of religious prejudices, obviously lost in this struggle and was absolutely powerless. Doctors could not recognize the disease at an early stage, which led to a significant increase in the number of infected and devastated cities.
Thus, medicine and hygiene in the Middle Ages could not boast of great changes, continuing to build on the writings of Galen and Hippocrates, previously well edited by the church.
Historical facts
- In the early 1300s, the budget of Paris was regularly replenished with tax from 29 baths, which were open every day, except Sundays.
- A great contribution to the development of hygiene in the Middle Ages was made by the outstanding scientist, doctor of the X-XI centuries Abu Ali Sina, better known as Avicenna. His main works were devoted to issues of everyday life, clothing and food. Avicenna was the first to suggest that the massive spread of ailments occurs through contaminated drinking water and soil.
- possessed a rare luxury item - a silver bathtub that accompanied him through the battlefields and on his travels. After the defeat at Granson (1476), she was found in the ducal camp.
- Emptying chamber pots from the window directly onto the heads of passers-by was nothing more than a kind of reaction of the residents of the house to the incessant noise under the windows, disturbing their peace. In other cases, such actions led to trouble from the city authorities and the imposition of a fine.
- The attitude to hygiene in medieval Europe can be traced to the number of public urban toilets. The City of Rains, London, had 13 latrines, and a couple of them were placed right on the London bridge that connects the two halves of the city.
Yes, in Russia with hygiene at all times there were no such global problems as in Europe, which for this reason was called unwashed. As you know, medieval Europeans neglected personal hygiene, and some were even proud of the fact that they washed only two, or even once in their lives. Surely you would like to know a little more about how Europeans observed hygiene and who were called "pearls of God."
Don't steal, don't kill, don't wash
And it would be fine just firewood. The Catholic Church prohibited any ablutions other than those that occur during baptism (which was supposed to wash a Christian once and for all) and before the wedding. All this, of course, had nothing to do with hygiene. It was also believed that when the body is immersed in water, especially in hot water, pores are opened through which water penetrates into the body, which then does not find a way out. Therefore, the body is supposedly vulnerable to infections. This is understandable, because everyone washed in the same water - from the cardinal to the cook. So after the water procedures, the Europeans really got sick. And strong.
Louis XIV washed only twice in his life. And after each he was so sick that the courtiers prepared a will. The same "record" was held by Queen Isabella of Castile, who was terribly proud that the water touched her body the first time - during baptism, and the second - before the wedding.
The church ordered to take care not of the body, but of the soul, therefore for hermits, dirt was a virtue, and nudity was a shame (to see a body, not only someone else's, but also one's own, is a sin). Therefore, even if they washed themselves, they wore shirts (this habit will persist until the end of the 19th century).
Lady with a dog
Lice were called "pearls of God" and were considered a sign of holiness. The troubadours in love took off fleas and put them on the lady of the heart, so that the blood, mixed in the stomach of the insect, united the hearts of the sweet couple. Despite all their "holiness", insects still got people. That is why everyone had a flea catcher or a small dog (in the case of the ladies) with them. So, dear girls, carrying a pocket dog in a pink blanket with you, remember where the tradition came from.
Lice got rid of in a different way. They moistened a piece of fur in blood and honey, and then put it in a hairdo. Smelling the smell of blood, the insects had to rush to the bait and get stuck in the honey. They also wore silk underwear, which, by the way, became popular precisely because of its "slipperiness". The "pearls of God" could not cling to such a smooth fabric. What's that! In the hope of saving themselves from lice, many practiced a more radical method - mercury. It was rubbed into the scalp and sometimes eaten. True, people died from this first of all, and not lice.
National unity
In 1911, archaeologists unearthed ancient buildings made of baked bricks. These were the walls of the Mohenjo-Daro fortress - the oldest city in the Indus Valley, which arose around 2600 BC. e. The strange holes around the perimeter of the buildings turned out to be toilets. The oldest found.
Then the Romans will have toilets, or latrines. Neither in Mohenjo-Daro, nor in the Queen of the Waters (Ancient Rome), by the way, did they imply solitude. Sitting on their "thrusts" located along the perimeter of the hall opposite each other (similar to how the seats in the subway are arranged today), the ancient Romans indulged in conversations about Stoicism or Seneca's epigrams.
At the end of the 13th century, a law was passed in Paris that when pouring a chamber pot out of a window, one must shout: "Caution, water!"
In Medieval Europe, there were no toilets at all. Only the highest nobility. And that is very rare and the most primitive. They say that the French royal court periodically moved from castle to castle, because in the old one there was literally nothing to breathe. Human waste was everywhere: at doors, on balconies, in courtyards, under windows. With the quality of medieval food and unsanitary conditions, diarrhea was a common thing - you just couldn't reach the toilet.
At the end of the 13th century, a law was passed in Paris that when pouring a chamber pot out of a window, one should shout: "Caution, water!" Even the fashion for wide-brimmed hats appeared ostensibly only to protect expensive clothes and wigs from flying from above. According to the descriptions of many guests of Paris, for example Leonardo da Vinci, there was a terrible stench on the streets of the city. What's in the city - in Versailles itself! Once there, the people tried not to leave until they met the king. There were no toilets, so little Venice did not smell of roses. Louis XIV himself, however, had a water closet. The sun king could sit on it, even receiving guests. It was generally considered "honoris kauza" (especially honorable) to be present at the toilet of high-ranking persons.
The first public toilet in Paris appeared only in the 19th century. But it was intended exclusively ... for men. In Russia, public latrines appeared under Peter I. But also only for courtiers. True, both sexes.
And 100 years ago, the Spanish campaign to electrify the country began. It was called simply and clearly - "Toilet". Translated from Spanish, this means "unity". Together with insulators, other earthenware products were also produced. The very ones whose descendants now stand in every home are toilets. The first toilet bowl with a cistern was invented at the end of the 16th century by a courtier of the English royal court, John Harington. But the water closet was not popular - due to the high cost and lack of sewerage.
Both tooth powder and thick comb
If there were no such benefits of civilization as an elementary toilet and a bath, then there is no need to talk about a toothbrush and deodorant. Although sometimes brushes made of twigs were used to clean teeth. In Kievan Rus - oak, in the Middle East and South Asia - from the arak tree. Rags were used in Europe. Or else they didn't brush their teeth at all. True, the toothbrush was invented precisely in Europe, or rather, in England. It was invented by William Addison in 1770. But mass production did not become immediately apparent - in the 19th century. At the same time, tooth powder was invented.
What about toilet paper? Nothing, of course. In ancient Rome, it was replaced by sponges dipped in salt water, which were attached to a long handle. In America, they have corn stubs, while Muslims have ordinary water. In Medieval Europe and Russia, common people used leaves, grass and moss. The nobility used silk rags.
It is believed that the perfume was invented only to drown out the eerie stench of the street. Whether this is true or not is not known for certain. But the cosmetic product, which would now be called a deodorant, appeared in Europe only in the 1880s. True, back in the 9th century, a certain Ziryab suggested using a deodorant (apparently of his own production) in Moorish Iberia (parts of modern France, Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar), but no one paid attention to this.
But already in ancient times, people understood: if you remove the hair in the armpit, the smell of sweat will not be so strong. The same if you wash them. But in Europe, as we said, this was not practiced. When it comes to hair removal, female body hair did not irritate anyone until the 1920s. Only then did European ladies first think about shaving or not shaving.