Consumer RorschachTest

[gildedcentury.livejournal.com]

Liberty, Jan 17, 1942

I've wracked my brain, but I have no earthly idea what product this is advertising. Whatever it is, I'm glad I don't need one.

Comments

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

I... think it has something to do with hernias?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Yes. It's a truss for supporting the abdomen.

[pony-rocks.livejournal.com]

Something to do with hemorrhoids?

[franklanguage.livejournal.com]

A hemorrhoid is a broken blood vessel. Close but no cigar, as they say.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

My guess it is for hernias. But that mention of stiff springs made me all D:

[pbrim.livejournal.com]

It's a truss for inguinal hernia (http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/inguinalhernia/), which occurs when the muscles in the groin rupture, and part of the abdominal fat or the small intestine bulge through. Much more common in men, where the small intestine can slip down into the scrotum -- something to do with a weakness in the path the testes used to descend from the abdomen. a nice safe protected place where all sensible people keep their reproductive organs ;).

The intestines have to be pushed back through ("reduced"), then pressure applied to keep them there until the rupture heals. That's what the little pads where the straps join are for.

[meleth.livejournal.com]

My dad had one-ish of those! At the same time as he had a Spigelian hernia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spigelian_hernia). Fun times.

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

Definitely a hernia belt. A modern one doesn't look that different (http://www.colonialmedical.com/files/images/detailed/d_2002.jpg).

[fallconsmate.livejournal.com]

The modern one...looks like a cross between medical equipment and crotchless underwear. Um. Wow.

[catharsisss.livejournal.com]

Ruptured balls?

[meezergal.livejournal.com]

OMG, that makes me laugh even though it shouldn't!!!!

[ohsochewy.livejournal.com]

All I can think of is Fred Garvin, Male Prostitute and his "elaborate network of trusses."