Drug Store windows

1949 I was attending grade school in Tacoma Washington. I walked past a local drug store every day to and from school. It was interesting to see how the drug store windows changed with the seasons.

From Christmas to January there was a very significant change which caught my eye. The January windows were clothed in white back ground then prominently displayed was the largest variety of enema and douche equipment I have ever viewed then or since. One window had a very large variety of hot water bottles, enema/douche bottles all on stands, hanging down, tubing connected as well as a wide variety of nozzles attached. One particular item was the enema/hotwater bottle, obvious rubber, red in color with long tubing attached with a bulb in the middle of the tubing.

In the next window there were a variety of Bulb syringes from the 1 oz all rubber to the "gigantic" (probably 12-16 oz) douche syringe, Red bulbs and White bulbs. One particular item was the White Douche syringe with the enema attachments which was a short tubing with the nozzles to screw on to the end, the other end screwed into the bulb. There were a wide variety of "Travel Syringes all equipped with a variety of douche nozzles one in particular had a cupped shaped device somewhat oval in shape which appeared to be capable of sliding up and down the Tube of the Syringe

I studied those windows extensively but on the sly not to be caught by an adult. I was surpised one day by an adult male who came up quietly and gave me a very strange sideways look. By age 9 had had my share of enemas but had never seen the array of equipment ever displayed in that fashion.

Now days, a person is lucky if any enema equipment is on the shelves of the local drug stores. How about your experiences.

roberth

I was about 12 or 13 (mid 70s) when I got my first job. I was the custodial engineer (mop boy) at the only drug store in town.Where each day after school I would work about 2 or 3 hours taking out the trash and moping floors. On Saturdays I was permitted to do other jobs like stock shelves and even wait on customers to some extent.

The City Drug was so old most of the items we carried were not on shelves as they are today, rather behind the counters where you simply ask for what you wanted or drop off your list and return later to pickup your sundries. We even “brown paper” wrap some items, as we used boxes for most orders instead of bags.

One of my favorite shelves was the “water bottles” we had about 8 different types; from the basic red to a large, white porcelain can that had a red stripe around the rim. We also had a box set of 3 black nozzles, ranging in size from a medium to large head about 5 or 6 inches long.

One Saturday I took it on myself to display a “full” setup of the white can, the hose (pink?) and the largest of the 3 black nozzles.

The counter/glass case was used to display many different things over the years I worked for them. I took out the items that were on display and put my display in. including a new bed pan, stainless clamp (hemostat), soap and a few other toiletries to make the display theme complete.

I did not call specific attention to my display at the time only stating to the druggist that I had changed it out with “toiletries”. He have a simple reply “great”. I finished out the day and went home.

The following Monday after school I show up for work. Wanting to see my display I went to the case and looked to find it empty. I stood puzzled why it was now barren. The druggist said with a huge grin on his face “we need to put something else in the case” I stood looking at him as if he was speaking some unknown language. “Come here and I will explain” he said to me.

That was the first time that I had been told enemas and the equipment therefore were “private” items. “Some people can take embarrassment to these things” he said to me “we sell them but we don’t display them”. I told him that I had taken many in my years and we had a “Big Red” on the back of the bathroom door.

“Don’t let the embarrassment of a few change your view of anything”. I have always remembered this and wish people did not expect others conform to their point of view, If you like your enemas. Here’s to you!

I never worked in a drug store as a kid, but I would pass by our neighborhood one at least twice a day. The pharmacist devoted half his window display to "sickroom needs' and "rubber goods,' with a good variety of things.

My mom had bought our white enema can and bedpan there, so seeing identical ones in the window was a constant reminder of what I had been treated with

and the next time I needed an enema.

Compare that with stores today.

Times change so much over the years, not all is to the good. People are so much in a hurry. We want fast service with everything we do. No time to wait on dinner, grab some fast food. No time for a sit-down meal, hit the drive-thru and eat on the way.

The Big Box stores think the same way. Come in get what you want, pay on your way out and leave a parking spot for the next sucker (sorry; customer). Even the places that “promote” good health, like Walgreen’s and CVS, now have drive-thru. We even do the same with our gym membership. We want to pay to get fit but want the least amount of work to get there. We complain if the parking spot by the door is taken and we are required to walk 30 yards to get in the door.

I actually had a co worker that did not show at the gym because, as he said “the parking lot was full, and I did not want to walk from across the street”. DUH think about that a second! Can you hear yourself?

Most people don’t want to take an enema unless they have no other choice. Even then it’s a, “hurry up and get it done” thing. What’s the rush? Life is not a race. Slow down and enjoy life, people that enjoy enemas know that “fast and furious” is not the pace. I have helped some good friends learn how to enjoy not only the benefits of a good enema, but the pleasure from them as well.

ENEMA LOVERS ROCK!!!

Dear Group,

This one caught my eye. I am 65, so I remember the drugstores back then. I grew up in Towson, MD, north of Baltimore. The corner drugstore on Burke Ave. had a large rubber syringe display back by the druggist. I would carefully check it out until would hear, "Can I help you?"

I recall looking at early Playboy mag covers on rack. The pharmacist asked me, "Who is it for?" I said, "My uncle." He came back with, "Have your uncle come back and get it"!

When home on leave from service around 1964, I was on Howard St. and would carefully walk by Read's Drugstore window two or three times to view the syringes. They gave looked erotic and gave me erotic feelings.

After getting out of the service, before and during marriage, I raided most of drugstores in and around Baltimore up until Rite-Aid took over and drove off the chains and mom & pop stores.

I'd often written down various types of syringes (bulbs, fountain, combination) on small pieces of paper. These were put in different pockets. I would case the "sundries" section and when asked, "Can I help you?" would pull out paper for an item that "turned me on." Usually it was a woman clerk.

Once I was in a mom & pop store, I went back three times for some real "goodies." The druggist's hands were shaking the first time. It took "real nerve" back then.

Now with the auction site it's easy, too easy. My house is loaded, might have to sell off some.

In 1964 was in Taranto, Italy (sp?) the pharmacy had a large display of "rubber syringes," especially BULBS, was in the front window of the pharmacia! Never forgot that view. Can imagine them with beautiful Italian ladies' fannies!

Take Care. mb (still near Balto, MD & S. Cenral PA)

Hello, me again,

A Confessional. In the 60's and 70's, when I was raiding dozens of old-time drug stores, some items such as: a box of Davol Black Rubber Replacement Rectal Nozzles, was such a touchy thing to purchase, especially from a female cashier, I pocketed them. Before store cameras it was easier, usually wearing a trench coat with large pockets. When passing register in the store front, always would leave an appropriate amount of cash near it.

I remember being at work, later that day with the box full of black rectal pipes in my pocket and wishing I could insert them in some of the girls' fannies!

A great case of "Enema Mania", started by my late mother/old-time nurse giving me how many ENEMAS and Suppositories? One of my first memories was being on my stomach, I turned my head, mother said, "I thought you liked them." She was either inserting an enema nozzle or giving me an enema. Yes, I LIKE THEM!

mb (an enema historian, who lived it)

In the 1940's and 1950's I remember drug stores having entire window displays with many enema bags. They were red, green and white.

Major department stores like Macy's had a separete counter that sold only enema bags. It was in their drug department. There were ladies behind the counter that explained the varioys bags and showed them to you. The enema bag was a necessary item for the bathroom.

I am certain that I am much older than most people on here. When I was growing up most every household had an Enema outfit hanging on a clothes hanger under a bathrobe or towel. It was usually located in the same room in which the chamber pot was kept. No one that I knew had a bathroom at home. My mom, aunts and older cousins all took Enemas on a regular basis for all kinds of medical reasons...They also took douches after puberty. They openly discussed them among themselves and I overheard many of these conversations because they thought I was too young to know what they were talking about...I didn't know anything about sex but I did know about Enemas because mom gave them to me from about age 3-5.

I dont remember seeing them in drug stores but in the 1960s-70s seeing a red bag and hose hanging dry in someone's bathroom was very common.

My Fountian Syringe after many years finaly started to leak. Time for a new one went to CVS big store. A female employee came and asked if she could help. I told her what I needed and she looked at me and said What is a fountian Syringe. I tried to explain but she didnt understand. She keeped showing me the disposable enemas and douches. At least the Mom&Pop stores had a good selection before they where forced to shut down

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What is a fountain Syringe? I tried to explain but she didn’t understand.

[/quote]

Now that sounds like someone that needs a little "Hands On" Instruction.

To expand the capacity of the off the shelf 2 quart closed bag, try this.

Fill the bag with HOT water; don’t do an enema this time.

Drain the air from the tubing. If you can place the bag in a large pot or bucket about half full of hot water. Place the bag alone or in a container on the floor. Place the nozzle end of the tubing in another container on the counter top or higher. Open the clamp and allow the force of gravity to expand the bag. First time you do this let about a quart in.

You must allow the bag to cool in order for it to retain the new capacity. I have done this with new bags and can get 4 quarts in one without the added cost of special order bags.

I can still remember seeing a window full of rubber medical items including hot water bottles and enema equipment in an Apotek in Munich twenty years ago... I felt a bit self concious staring into this window with passers by looking at me.....

I have also recently seen a section of rubber combination bags, open tops and bulbs in the medical section of a very large Chemist shop in central London!

Staci, those burrs are the illustrative of the crap that comes from China. It may be cheap, but quality control is lacking. Oh for the days of the black vulcanite nozzles.

As one person has stated"there are burrs on the nozzles" of the cheap imitations that are on the shelves now. Faultless, at the height of their production, offered 3 levels of Rubber goods. The most reasonably priced models had slip on nozzles which were slightly rough but not to the extent of injuring our body parts. A second level of rubber goods still had the slip on nozzles but was a better quality rubber and appeared to be finished to a higher quality. Then, the Premier line (or whatever it was called) the bags were very pliable rubber, the hoses were higher quality and the NOZZLES were highly polished and very very smooth. Quite an incredible difference between the third level of rubber goods and the cheaper level of rubber goods. The quality of the offerings nowdays in the durgstores, if they even offer a combination or feminine hygiene syringe appears very substandard which would not even match the most primary Faultless offering. How things change, used to be for the better but now it appears much to the worse. I would recommend that when buying new, check with one of the more reputable marketors on the net, their products are a little higher in price but in the end much more satisfactory both in longevity of item and comfort for the user.

roberth

I remember those Drugstore window displays from the 50's very well. I got a job delivering milk house to house and one our customers was a drugstore /luncheonette.

The 'Fridge' was back in the storeroom. Of course the storeroom had a good stock of fountaine syringes. One day, I took it upon myself to steal an enema nozzle from one of the syringe boxes. That was one of my better decisions. That nozzle gave many years of pleasure.

I recall as a kid in the 70's that a few drug stores in town still had the front window display of enema equiptment for all to see when they walked past the store and i often wondered if those displays made the stuff sell faster than normal.

By the mid 80's it was no longer in the front windows, the ones with the displays were thrift drug and sun drug stores.

I also recall a ma & pa type drug store, the stuff was not in a front window it was in a big glass case inside the store, the case also served a a buffer as the drugist was behind it with all the pills and stuff, in other words if you wanted some enema stuff from that case the drugist had to open it from his side of the case. All i remember is that case was loaded with all kinds of bulbs, bags, hoses, nozzles and metal clamps, what a delightfull store it was as when mum sent me there to pick up a rx you had no choice other than stand right in front of that case while the druggist got the RX ready, that big glass case is still memorized to me to this day.

There was also this big salvage store on Smallman street in pittsburgh, we called it 2nd hand k-mart, in that store was a long shelf about 30 feet long and it was loaded with enema equiptment and some of the stuff looked very old like from the 40's.

I sure would have liked to see those windows. Great description. Even if enemas were a way of life in the 50ies, I think I would have not wanted anyone seeing that I was really looking in the window. It was all part of my love hate feelings of enemas.

We ski in Quebec most winters, and the drug stores there still often have substantial displays. The non displayed inventory is even better.

As a kid I would always check out drug store windows...a good display of bags was mesmerizing although they were often just in their boxes. Imagine my delight one day, in the early 50's passing by a little drug store in downtown NYC with it's window packed with fully assembled latex bags, tubing and black nozzles in every imaginable arrangement. I wanted one of those sooo bad, but too young to ever try to buy it. Tried to pass by every day and sort of linger by the window. One day I was approaching the store from across the street and stopped to watch other passersby...I was amazed to see how many people stopped and gazed at the display...Wow!...maybe I wasn't the only one...

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Drug stores are very selfish with their space for myriad reasons. One, many drug stores are small; therefore, to maintain a good square foot to profit ratio their shelves contain only what will turn quickly like over the counter drugs. Many drug stores offer medical supplies like bed pans on an order basis only. Many find the disposable douches and enemas more convenient and easier to use. Probably the best source of enema and douche equipment can be found on the Internet. I have found Klystra an excellent source. -- DD 😎

It's really interesting how much the world has changed. it never occurred to me that drug stores (before corporate lego-ism) would have large displays of bags etc.

In the spring of 1998 I was on a business trip to Farmington New Mexico, killing a little mid-day time with a stroll near the downtown hotel. I came to a drugstore window that had a very eye-catching display that stopped me in my tracks.

I'm sure I must have stared with my mouth open. It was a mannequin, unclothed and painted gold, with one arm outstretched. An empty amber travel syringe was draped over her hand by its hose, douche nozzle attached. Other bags in their boxes lay at her feet.

Amber bags have always been my favorite and had already disappeared from drugstore shelves in my home town by then. I have always regretted not going in and buying out their entire stock. II suppose it was an effort at retro-advertising by the store management. Sure got my attention.

--Diane

One of my favorite drug store memories was in NYC about 35 years ago, walking down 5th Avenue at about 50th Street, and discovering in a drug store window a HUGE COLON TUBE artfully displayed in their main window. It must have been an F72 - I've never seen another one that large. While I stood there admiring it, other passersby also noticed it, and one let out with a shock of recognition: "OH MY".

Now, of course, I dearly wish I'd added it to my collection. 😜

We surely live in sad times. Oh for the good old days when drug stores not only openly displayed there enema equipment in window displays but also carried it proudly in a store section where the customer could inspect and choose according to their needs and desires. At 66 I surely do remember the old days and the feelings the window displays evoked in a young enema lover.

They still display enema equipment in drug store windows in China.

What type of enema equipment are displayed in some drug stores in China?

Are these the rubber hot water bottle combination sets, open tops and higginsion type syringes?

Sadly, here in the UK we have no shops at all that either display or stock enema equipment, a great shame, as our American cousins seem to stock a wide range of stuff even in places like walmart!

I've never been to America, but one day when i do I'll be coming with an empty suitcase to stock up on all the stuff !

Can you explain why no enema equipment is available in the UK? Is it "outlawed," or just "socially unacceptable? What do normies do if they need a cleaning out?

I hope that you can get just about anything you want on the internet just like us on the west side of the pond.

I presume it must be socially unfasionable, there just does'nt seem to be the same interest in the UK as the USA, which is a great shame! Sex shops do sell basic equipment like bulb syringes and small enema bags, but not the vast array of nozzles & accesories.

I have luckily been able to source some interesting artifacts from antique fairs & flea markets, most recently enamel douche can with india rubber tube & pyrex nozzle!

Somebody asked about what is seen in drugstore windows in China. I lived there a year and never saw any enema equipment of any kind displayed in windows.

Fountain syringes and water bottles were readily available. Because of the poor quality of tapwater in China, along with the equipment you could find large (5liter and even larger) bottles of "hygienic solution."