Condom: A device most commonly used during sexual intercourse. It is put on a MAN'S penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner.
Condoms have been around since the 19th century. It is the most popular method of contraception. In Asian cultures before the 15th century they would use a device called a glan condom. This condom would just cover the head of the penis. This device was only a luxury for the upper class. In China they made the glan condoms out of oiled silk paper or lamb intestines. In Japan they used tortoise shell or animal horn. The first use of condoms in Europe was to prevent syphilis not for birth control. Condoms have been looked down upon for many of the same reasons throughout history. Some are: reduce the likelihood of pregnancy, encourage promiscuity, do not fully protect against sexually transmitted diseases and they are not used consistently because of expensive, loss of sensation or inconvenience. In the 18th century condom market grew dramatically. They were available in many different shapes, sizes and colors. They were still being made out of linen or skin treated with sulfur or lye. People could buy condoms at pubs, barbershops, chemist-shops, open-air markets and at the theater in Europe and Russia. Towards the end of the 18th century condom use spread to the United States but in all these locations use was reserved for the middle to upper classes due to expense and sexual education.
During the 1920's condoms were finally promoted to the poorer classes. Feminists pushed during this time for female birth control so women had some power over sexual intercourse. Even though obstacles to make condoms legal had been made they were still only advertised by traveling lectures and in newspaper. Also during this time, instructions on how to make a condom were distributed throughout the United States and Europe.
When STD rates skyrocketed after the civil war, sexual education classes were implemented in public schools. The very first rubber condom was made in 1855. The rubber vulcanization process was patented in 1844 by Charles Goodyear. They would wrap strips of raw rubber around a penis mold and dip them in a chemical solution. In 1912 Julius Fromm invented a new and improved way to make condoms. It was called cement dipping. You would dip glass molds into raw rubber solutions. This method involved adding gasoline and benzene to the rubber mixture. 1920 brought the invention of the latex condoms. It requires less labor and time to produce. Using latex decreased the fire hazard of condom factories because gasoline was no longer a used material. Latex also made condoms stronger, thinner, and it extended the shelf life to 5 years. The old shelf life for condoms was 3 months for rubber. The first fully promoted condom line was patented in 1930.
Due to the increased demand and social acceptance of condoms the availability and knowledge was increased. Now people can go to supermarkets like Wal-Mart to locate condoms. People now understand the importance of educating society on sexual education and what can be done to protect yourself and those around you.
Manufacturing
Latex is extracted from the Hevea Bransiliensis (rubber tree), the best of these trees are found in Malaysia and Thailand. The raw latex is found between the bark and wood. It is collected through slashing the tree's bark. Ammonia is then added to the raw latex to kill off any of the bacteria that naturally feeds on the latex which causes it to curdle. This raw latex is made of 70% water and 30% rubber cells. The latex is then centrifuged to make it 60% solid. This centrifuged latex helps to reduce the cost of the latex transportation. The latex is then mixed with other chemicals for its manufacturing. These ingredients include an antioxidant, a sulfur based vulcanizing agent and a vulcanizing accelerator. A conveyor belt with mandrels are dipped into the latex liquid and formed into the shape of the condom. These mandrels are majority of the time made out of glass, but also can be ceramic, plastic or stainless steel. The mandrels go through a series of dips, usually about two time, to spread the latex on evenly. Most condoms are usually between the thickness of .01mm and .09mm. The liquid is dried to a solid when put throw a hot-air drying oven on the conveyor belt system. Water jets or brushes then roll up a section of the open end of the condom to form the rim of the base. The rolled latex adheres to itself. Then the process of leaching comes into place. Where the condom still on the mandrel is dipped into hot baths of water, sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This removes some latex proteins from the condom (which are linked to causing irritation). The condom is again dried. The condoms are then washed in a clothing machine like washer with a powdery liquid such as corn starch. The condom after being washed with this powdery substance is then dried in a clothing drier like machine, where a layer is the powdery substances is left on the condom for further processing purposes. The condom would then go through series of test that would be particular to the certain manufacturing company of the condom brand. The electrical conductance test sends electricity into the condom to make sure that none of it escapes. This is a non destructive form of testing for the condom. The water leak test fills the condom usually with about 10 ounces of water, therefore looking for leaks. This also keeps to investigate the condoms protection against STD's. This is done by putting pathogens of a certain std in the water used in these water leak tests to see if any of these pathogens seep into the outside of the condom. The tensile test commonly known as the stretch test, slices one band from the shaft of the condom and testes its stretchability. The Airburst test inflates the condom with a specific amount of air to see if it burst. The aging test warms the condom up to 70 C to test its durability. If 5 condoms fail these tests in a batch of 1,000, the batch can not be sold. After these tests if the condom requires spermicide or lubricants, they are added. Most lubricants are silicone or water-based. The spermicide is made of N-9 which is a water soluble detergent which kills sperm membrane also some bacterias and viruses. Scent, flavoring and other special features can be added to the condom. The condom is then put into two layers of packaging and sent off to be sold.
Side Effects of Condom use:
People who use condoms on a more frequent basis are more likely to develop allergic reaction, due to the increased exposure to the latex. The allergic reaction is the result of the proteins that are found in the raw liquid from of the extraction of the rubber from the rubber tree. About 1-6% of the general population have latex allergies. Latex reactions can occur minutes of hours after the exposure to it. A mild latex reaction would include symptoms such as dryness, itchiness, burning, lesions and scaling of the skin. A medium reaction to latex would include all of those symptoms but to a more serious degree. These symptoms could also possibly spread to other parts of the body and last a long time. A severe reaction would include symptoms of hives, breathing problems, and anaphylaxis which can lead to death in a matter of minutes by constriction of the muscles, decreased blood pressure and breathing constrictions. Other symptoms can include rhinitis which would include hay fever symptoms, pink eye, cramping, rapid heart beat, tremors, and pains throughout the chest. People experiencing these severe symptoms should see a doctor right away!
People more likely at risk of having an allergic reaction to latex:
1. people with a defect of bone marrow cells
2. An irregular bladder or urinary tract
3. An individual with a history of multiple surgeries
4. Someone with a urinary catheter which includes a rubber tip
5. individuals with numerous allergies, eczema and asthma
6. People with food allergies to bananas, kiwi, avocados and chestnuts.
An alternative to latex condom would be a condom line called Naturalamb. Naturalamb condoms are for people that are latex sensitive. They are made from a pouch in a lambs stomach called caeum. The cost for the condoms would be $24 for 12, this being $2 for each individual condom.
http://www.naturalamb.com/
