Vibrators have an interesting history. They were initially used in the 19th century to cure women's nervous disorders (which were believed to originate in their wombs). Hysteria, or wandering womb syndrome, could be cured if women had "hysterical paroxysms" with the aid of manual stimulation. Things got a little more advanced in the '70s when Betty Dodson (the nice topless lady you see below), author of Sex For One, started masturbation groups for women and introduced them to the atomic bomb version of a vibrator—the Hitachi Magic Wand. Some of those devices below scare me. Thoughts, ladies? (Go to Slate to read more!)

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