Putting it on

The Latin manual, possibly included because Latin was still the language of medicine at the time, contains instructions on how to use the condom. The second Latin sentence on the envelope instructs the user to "lacte tepido mollita", that is to “soften it with lukewarm milk.” This practice is primarily intended to make the animal membrane condom stretchy and comfortable, and also to provide some lubrication during intercourse. As can be seen, the Latin manual on the envelope is meant to provide a simple guide to condom use.

In addition to the steps mentioned in Latin, it is also necessary to check that the condom is airtight before use. The most common method is to blow into the condom to check for small damages that cannot be seen by the naked eye (Fig. 6).

Moreover, in practice, the ribbon of the condom was found to have a secondary function beyond a firm attachment to the penis. Pleasure-seeking users tied the ribbon to their testicles so that it provided continuous stimulation during intercourse, increasing sexual arousal.

In today's pharmacies, you can easily choose from a variety of condom sizes to fit your needs. Unfortunately, consumers in the early 19th century had only a few choices. The hand-made animal membrane condoms on the market lacked a uniform size standard. Different batches of condoms from the same manufacturer were also likely to have wide variations in size. Whether or not a gentleman was able to buy the right condom for him was purely a matter of luck. Unfortunately, oversized condoms increase the risk of slippage, even when accounting for the presence of a ribbon.