In the Victorian era, doctors believed that women suffered from a malady called “female hysteria.” It’s an illness that occurs due to having a womb, and symptoms include willfulness, belligerence, stomach aches, sexual frustration, not listening to one’s husband, etc.  This illness goes back to ancient times, but Victorian treatment included utilizing pressurized water, vibrators, and a doctor’s fingers on or in the patient’s vagina. 

Quote from wikipedia: “The only problem was that physicians did not enjoy the tedious task of vaginal massage.  The technique was difficult for a physician to master and could take hours to achieve “hysterical paroxysm.”

THE MORE YOU KNOW