Tampon

This is a disposable tampon, a so-called ‘feminine hygiene’ product – worn inside the vagina to soak up menstrual blood. It is made from densely compressed rayon or cotton fibres that expand as they absorb fluid. The string is to aide in the removal of the tampon from the vagina. Rayon is a manufactured cellulose material made from a polymer derived from wood pulp, whilst cotton is derived from plants and is bleached white. It is a soft applicator type tampon that has lost its applicator, the disposable telescopic cardboard or plastic tube used to insert the tampon – most other kinds of tampon are more robust and can be inserted easily without an applicator. Tampons have been used by women all over the world for thousands of years, in the form of papyrus, soft ferns, natural sponges and wrapped rags; the convenience of the internally worn device has enabled people to continue their lives as usual whilst having a period. On the battlefield, antiseptic tampons have been used to control bleeding from gunshot wounds and other deep injuries.