For decades, it's been commonly believed that vibrators first came into being when Victorian doctors used them to treat hysteria in women (there was even a movie made about it). But a recent paper published in the Journal of Positive Sexuality argues that, while the theory is well-known, it may actually be a myth.
Turns out, there’s not really actually much supporting evidence to show that such practices actually ever happened. Even Rachel Maines, the author of the book that gave rise to the theory—The Technology of Orgasm—admits that it was a hypothesis, not a fact.
Vibrating devices were used to treat other ailments such as gout, kidney problems, and skin conditions, but there is very little record of them being employed for clitoral stimulation (though a few French doctors did practice manual clitoral massage).
So why has this theory become so widely believed as fact? Well, in short, it makes for a really good story.
Read more about it on Quartz.
