been spreading like wildfire around Europe & Asia for the previous century, Italian physician and atomist Gabrielle Fallopius made one of the biggest breakthroughs in condom technology.

Fallopius, in his 1594 treatise De Morbo Gallico (‘The French Disease’), suggested a linen cloth be soaked in chemicals, dried and then used as protection against the deadly disease during intercourse.

1,100 brave participants lined up to test out the linen sheath, which covered the glans and tied on with ribbon.

Remarkably, none of them subsequently tested positive for syphilis and the linen condoms became relatively popular.

1646

Oldest Condoms in the World Discovered

During excavations in 1985 at Dudley Castle in the West Midlands, England (pictured), the contents of the castle toilet (aka ‘garderobe’) were discovered remarkably intact and subsequently sorted for further analysis by thewashed and re-used until they perished.

1873

Comstock Law

The ‘Comstock Law’, named after Anthony Comstock, was passed in the USA which made it illegal to distribute any kind of ‘obscene’ material through the postal system – including condoms and other contraceptives.

1890 – 1905

Dunlop & Ansell condoms in Australia

Eric Ansell

The Australian arm of Dunlop Rubber started making condoms in the 1890s in the South Melbourne area.

Dunlop’s Catholic chairman Nicholas Fitzgerald however wasn’t comfortable with the company making condoms and by 1905 forced the business to stop making them altogether.

Eric Ansell was working within the factory at this time and witnessed the condom making equipment being removed and placed into nearby storage. Ansell offered to, and subsequently purchased, the condom making equipment and started making condoms from his rented house in Richmond.

He