University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Pharmacy
Birth Control
Family Planning
Contraceptive Devices, Female
Classification
Pharmacy
Birth Control
Family Planning
Contraceptive Devices, Female
Accession Number
1987.8.1 a-c
Description
Rectangular hinged green plastic refillable case (a) containing 21 white oral contraceptive tablets and 7 oral contraceptive pink tablets in a punch out blister style card dispenser where pills protected by clear plastic and backing of silver foil sandwiched between cardstock (b); instructions in E…
Rectangular hinged green plastic refillable case (a) containing 21 white oral contraceptive tablets and 7 oral contraceptive pink tablets in a punch out blister style card dispenser where pills protected by clear plastic and backing of silver foil sandwiched between cardstock (b); instructions in English and French printed on cream paper (c) tucked in inner lid; case base has round perforations to remove pills; cream lid decoration with a bas-relief bust of a female head surrounded by gold-coloured scrollwork; pills are numbered; new package, no missing pills; tablet card snaps into base edges; example of a calendar memory package.
Number Of Parts
3
Part Names
a - case
b - pills
c - instructions
Provenance
Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; source: Dr. Tom Porter of Toronto.
Printed on instruction sheet: "28 TABLET // memOrette® DISPENSER"
Printed on card: "COMMENCEZ ICI START HERE // Your Day // Votre Journee"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-B2-1 Row A
Temporary Location
On exhibit The Canada Science and Technology Museum 3 Nov 2016 – 30 Nov 2025
Length
a - 9.2 cm
b - 8.3 cm
c - 7.6 cm
Width
a - 7.2 cm
b - 5.8 cm
c - 5.8 cm
Depth
a - 1.2 cm
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Dimension Notes
Measured closed case
Condition Remarks
Like new
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Other
Reference Comments
Syntex Marketing Dept.
Research Facts
An early brand of oral contraceptives, containing ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone. Syntex, Inc. sold Norinyl in a Memorette package, an example of a calendar memory package. An extra tablet was added to the original twenty-pill cycle to provide one oral contraceptive pill a day for three weeks. A fourth week of inert pills was added on the premise that it is easier to remember to take a pill every day rather than to spend three weeks on the pill and one week off. The calendar pack made it evident that by adding placebos, women would take a pill every day.
The noticeable effort taken in creating aesthetically pleasing packages reflect societal norms, especially the desire to keep birth control discrete. This calendar memory package from the exterior resembles a makeup mirror found in any women's purse. Such "compacts" were produced in pastel colors with cameo and floral designed.