french pelvic douche, circa 1860 a 1918 sears, roebuck , co. ad several models of vibrators in western medical tradition, genital massage of woman orgasm physician or midwife standard treatment female hysteria, ailment considered common , chronic in women. in 1653, pieter van foreest advised technique of genital massage disease called womb disease bring woman hysterical paroxysm . such cases quite profitable physicians, since patients @ no risk of death needed constant treatment. however, vaginal massage procedure (generally referred pelvic massage ) tedious , time-consuming physicians. technique difficult physician master , take hours achieve hysterical paroxysm . referral midwives, had been common practice, meant loss of business physician, and, @ times, husbands asked assist. development of vibrator a solution invention of massage devices, shortened needed treatment hours minutes, removing need midwives , increasing physician s treatment capacity. @ turn of century, hydrotherap...