Contrary to what most people imagine, the condom is quite an old invention. In 1300 BC, Egyptians used a sheath for the penis made of linen, skin, and plant materials.
In the 2nd century BC, the Romans began to use these sheaths made from lamb intestines and goat bladders to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases. The Romans believed that such diseases were punishments cast by Venus, the goddess of love, who later gave her name to these diseases, which we now know as "venereal diseases."
In 1564, the Italian Gabriel Fallopius invented a linen sack, which was placed over the penis of his patients to protect them from diseases. The anatomist achieved great success with the invention, as besides protecting against diseases, the linen sack prevented pregnancy. This fact made him known, and its production became popular and widely used.
Around 1685, the sheath was named condom in England. The condom was made of lamb intestine and lubricated with almond oil. In 1700, they began to produce this sheath with sheep and other animal intestines with the aim of making them thinner and less uncomfortable.
In the early 18th century, London founded the first condom shop. These were made of sheep or lamb intestine with floral scents and custom-made. In 1843, condoms began to be manufactured with rubber by Hancock and Goodyear. They were not very adherent, irregular, and expensive, which led to them being used several times until the 1990s when latex was invented, giving the condom a thinner and more comfortable appearance. In 1960, it ceased to be used due to the invention of the contraceptive pill but returned in 1990 due to the major AIDS epidemic.
CABRAL, Gabriela Cabral. Origin of the condom. Equipe Brasil Escola. Available at <http://www.brasilescola.com/sexualidade/origem-camisinha.htm> accessed on 28 JAN 2011.
