A cylindrical metal canister containing prophylactic foam powder; the canister has a movable top with ten round holes in a star-shaped pattern; the top can be turned to line up with holes under it and allow the contents of the canister to be shaken out; there is a printed paper label attached aroun…
A cylindrical metal canister containing prophylactic foam powder; the canister has a movable top with ten round holes in a star-shaped pattern; the top can be turned to line up with holes under it and allow the contents of the canister to be shaken out; there is a printed paper label attached around the full length of the canister, leaving only the top and bottom uncovered; the bottom of the canister has an inset round lid with a flat outer lip that can be taken off to remove large quantities of the powder.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Duplicates from the collection of the History of Contraception Museum at Janssen-Ortho Inc.
The front of the canister reads, "FOAM // POWDER // Net weight 3¾ oz. // Prophylactic Powder for vaginal use // only. // Active Ingredient – // Paraformaldehyde U.S.P. // Distributed by // Parents' Information Bureau Ltd. // Kitchener, Ont. // Directions for use included in package"; the back of the canister reads, "CAUTION // CLOSE SHAKER TOP OF // CAN AFTER USE TO // PREVENT EVAPORATION"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A5-5 Box 5 Row C
Dimension Notes
Length 10.2 cm x Diam. 5.1 cm
Condition Remarks
#1: The canister is complete and is full of powder; the metal shows no corrosion; the label is complete and legible, but there is a large patch of glue residue on the back of the label that makes reading it difficult; #2: the metal on the base of the canister is beginning to show signs of corrosion.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Book
Person
Reference Comments
Petra Goodhead, communications coordinator, Janssen-Ortho Inc.; Revie, Linda. “More Than Just Boots! The Eugenic and Commercial Concerns behind AR Kaufman’s Birth Controlling Activities,” Canadian Bulletin of Medical History 23.1 (2006): pg 119-143
Research Facts
Alvin Ratz Kaufman (1885-1979) was nicknamed “Canada’s Mr. Birth Control” because he established a a birth control information centre called the Parents’ Information Bureau which also manufactured and distributed contraceptives. In 1936-7, the PIB's activities were defended in court after one of his 'field workers' was charged, as providing birth control or information relating to it was a criminal offense in Canada at this time. The defense argued that she was upholding the public good and the worker, Dorothea Palmer, was acquitted. The trial demonstrated links between early birth control societies and the eugenics movement in Canada, as one argument in favor was that the PIB was preventing poor families from having more children.
Exhibit History
History of Contraception exhibit, Fraser-Armstrong 5, Kingston General Hospital; March 2004 - Case #2