Vibrator History

Title: History of the Vibrator
Author: Sediva Staff

The Vibrator was invented by Joseph Mortimer Granville to aid in the treatment of "hysteria" in women. Yep, you read that right "hysteria". The medical treatment of hysteria in women involved clitoral massage until relief was obtained. This was standard practice for treating hysteria in women. Naturally it didn't cure hysteria, and patients had to receive treatment on a regular basis. Hmmmmm

In 1989 Rachel Maines, the author of The Technology of Orgasm: Hysteria, the Vibrator and Women's Sexual Satisfaction, provided us with a wealth of information about the standard medical treatment of "hysteria" using vibrators. She discovered that vibrators came into widespread medical use in the 1890s, when there was an "epidemic" of hysteria among Western women. The symptoms of this disease, based on the Greek idea of a "wandering womb", were varied and all-encompassing, to the point that any form of female behavior could be considered to be a form of hysteria.� Anxiety, irritability, sexual fantasies and "excessive vaginal lubrication" were prime symptoms of this disease. Maines suggests that hysteria was simply the result of female sexual frustration.

It seems almost mind bogglingly bizarre that in Victorian society women were going off to the doctor to be treated for sexual arousal and that society considered it to be normal

Technology advanced and the vibrator soon moved out of the doctor's office and into the home, where treatment could be self administered at a much cheaper rate. By the early 1900's the Sears and Roebuck catalog featured a multi-purpose appliance that included a buffer, grinder and mixer along with the vibrator attachment.

Even though the vibrator had moved from the doctors office to the home no one was yet willing to say that it was used for sexual satisfaction. The Sears and Roebuck catalog read "Will be found to be very useful in many ways around the home!" Maines points out that the vibrator preceded the introduction of the vacuum cleaner by 9 years and the electric iron by ten, "possibly reflecting consumer priorities."

In the 1920's porn movies began showing sex scenes involving vibrators. This was not a positive step forward for the vibrator. In fact, once the vibrator appeared in it's first 'blue' movie it all but disappeared from mainstream. Before it's appearance in the Blue films the vibrator was disguised as just another household appliance, but now that the true nature of the Vibrator had been displayed for all to see, it was no longer accepted in mainstream.

It wasn't until 1952 that the American Psychiatric Association finally dismissed hysteria as a valid diagnosis.

There are only a few historical mentions of vibrators between the 20s and the 60s. Including an article in the 1949 sex manual 'The Enjoyment of Love in Marriage' on the use of a vibrator in marriage and Masters and Johnson used vibrators in their sexuality research into in the late 60s. Despite such recommendations, vibrators retained a steadfastly seedy reputation during this time.

The invention of the Internet has opened up a whole new venue for "Sex Toys ." We no longer have to call vibrators, massager's or pretend that we are not using these wonderful machines for our sexual pleasure.

If you are new to purchasing sex toys or if you would like find out about other options please be sure to refer to our buyers guides.