"The Pill" - 20th Century Advertising Ephemera with Original "Dial-Pak" Pill Dispensers
United States: Late 1960s-1980. A small gathering of emphemera related to the history of "The Pill" between the late 1960s and 1980, including: a set of three (3) compacts previously filled with a month each of birth control pills from 1980; one (1) printed booklet with instructions for taking "Ortho-Novum SQ" in the late 1960s; and a set of three (3) printed instructions booklets issued to a patient prescribed "The Pill" in c.1979. "The Pill" was invented in the 1960s and led to a wave of sex positivity and a push for greater reproductive rights for women. A more detailed description of the items is below:
A set of three (3) compacts previously filled with a month each of birth control pills, filled for a patient in March 1980 by a pharmacy in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Each compact opens to reveal a wheel of pills that dispenses one pill per day, with an arrow pointing to the day of the week. A printed prescription label on the upper lid states the pharmacy, patient name, and prescription name (Modicon-28). Each compact measures approx. 3.5" by 3.25" and is made from teal and white plastic.
A late-1960s printed booklet with instructions for taking "Ortho-Novum SQ", an oral contraceptive issued by Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation. Penned for new users, it provides an overview of how the little pills work, how to use the "Dialpak" compact tablet dispenser, and answers to frequently asked questions such as "Suppose you accidentally skip a pill?". Illustrated with feminine flowery imagery to make the product more friendly and approachable for the target audience. Single vol. (7.75" by 3.75"), pp. [24], illus., in original illus. self wrps.
A set of three (3) printed instructions booklets issued to a patient prescribed "The Pill" in c.1979, published by Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation. The first item is a stapled booklet offering patients insight into how oral contraceptives work, and the different contraceptives produced by Ortho, including "Ortho-Novum", "Modicon", and "Micronor". The second item provides specific directions and warnings, statistics, etc. The final item includes instructions for how to use the brand's proprietary "Dial Pak", which dispenses one pill a day for the patient. Folded, none of the items exceed 2.5" by 3" in size. Very good. Minor flaws including toning, sunning, a couple short tears, minor wear.
Price: $325.00
Item #26016949