Fountain Syringe

Anyone know where the basic bag-type syringe, whether open or closed top came to be called a "fountain" syringe?

It IS a gravity flow syringe, but how does that connect to fountains?

Anybody know the history of that seemingly nonsensical termenology?

I hope my information is correct on this. Years ago I remember seeing in the Sears catalog that they would differentiate between a combination bag and a fountain syringe, but where my confusion comes in is with a folding syringe which is technically a fountain syringe then, too. Somewhere, and I unfortunately, cannot remember where, that the term fountain syringe referred to the douche nozzle so that you could have a bag, whether combination or open top, with attachments for use as an enema or fountain syringe. When I think about the spray configuration from a douche nozzle it does look like a fountain.

This is purely speculative, but it seems that liquid flowing from a nozzle or other device, was commonly known as a "fountain". It didn't matter if the flow was by gravity, or from a pump, well, or other source of pressure. During the early days of manufacturing, those marketing the devices came up with some different ways to describe the function of the syringe. Fountain syringe, Combination syringe, Bulb Syringe, Douche syringe, Enema syringe, Rectal syringe, Ear (and Ulcer) syringe, Travel syringe, Folding syringe, Feminine syringe, Compact syringe, HyDaWay Syringe and so on and so forth.

The actual names likely numbered in the dozens, if not more than a hundred, or so. While I'm personally infatuated, and maybe totally in love with Victoria, my US "Royal", "Dreadnaught", "Olympic", and Davol "Starlet", are certainly worthy contenders to be considered favorites. Each may have had an intended purpose at the time of manufacture, but the practical solution for me is noted in my handle or nickname. Thank goodness they are all capable of multitasking and don't make Victoria jealous!

Lisa, I found a web site that shows the patent numbers and description of a "Fountain Syringe" including it uses. Don't know if this is what you were wanting, but it is the closest I could find to the history of fountain syringe. Here is the site, so just follow the link: http://www.google.com.tr/patents/US744656

Here is how it is in my mind,

The common closed top bag with a screw in stopper for hot water bottle use and a hose adapter for enema or douche was called a Combination Syringe

If it was an open top bag of heavy rubber for enema or douche, it was a Fountain Syringe

If it was a light weight open top latex bag, it was a Folding Syringe, or Feminine Syringe

Those latex bags that you filled from a faucet like a water balloon, and then snapped the pipe in place was a Compact Syringe, like Tiny Kit, Shy, or in days past Sonata.

Anybody remember the Faultless Sonata? One day some time back my husband and I were walking through the parking lot at the mall and he pointed to a car (a Hyundai Sonata) and said something about they really improved the looks of that car over the years, maybe we should consider one. I told him don't even think about it. I will not drive a car named after a douche bag! I had to explain to him that years ago Faultless made a small travel douche bag called the Sonata. My college room mate had one. Since they stopped making that bag years ago few people today recognize that name for anything other than the car, which I hear is actually pretty good..

And I thought I was the only one who equated the Sonata to a douche bag or enema syringe (in a pinch of course). Cheryl seems to have a wonderful grasp on the history of many of our favorite implements. A true appreciation of this simple procedure and pleasure keeps my heart pumping, and the plumbing usually works a little better as well.

Undoubtedly, I'd have to do a lot of explaining if I vocalized my thoughts, as those occasional circumstances arise that correlate to this secretive passion. As I hear the plethora of digestive ads of late, I just want to shout out...Just take an enema for hell's sake!!!

Hi Cheryl - yes I remember the Sonata. I had one. Now, you might ask what a guy needs a douche syringe for. I was travelling and spending some time in Milwaukee in the late 70s. I always cruise the aisles in any drugstore I see just to see if I can find anything new or different. I thought the Sonata would be great for travel since it was so small. And after all, how much different is a douche from an enema other than what body opening it goes in? Anyway, it really didn't work all that well for enemas and after a few messy tries I ditched it.

So it's probably just the English Language strikes again!

A Jack rabbit is actually a hare, whereas the Belgian hare is actually a rabbit. The "Sea" of Galilee is actually a lake.

There are no Auks in Auckland!

Here we go again!!

Gotta love it!!

Many years ago I knew a chemist who worked for a company known as Cooper Labs. He had one funny story after another about things and was, in fact, a great addition to any party that my wife and I went to.

He told how the firm sold some feminine hygiene items including Zonite liquid douche, Zonitors vaginal suppositories, and the Shy syringe. They also owned the Oral B line of toothbrushes, which is now owned by Proctor and Gamble. Any way, the Oral B line had an offer that if you sent in 25¢ they would send you a set of four replacement brushes to the automatic toothbrush. For the Shy they also had an offer of 25¢ mail-in for a different nozzle. Sure enough, things got switched and everyone laughed like crazy when a woman wrote in asking what the brushes were for. I guess her pink parts were really clean!

The Goodrich "Sojourn " travel syringe was my favorite: perfect for a enematic trip.

The classic, open top fountain syringe was the one that hung on the back of our bathroom door. after a lifetime of being a klismo I believe I ran across this: there were pencil illustrations showing the bag hanging above and a lady sitting on the toilet, holding the multi-faceted douche nozzle inside her vagina. dotted lines coming out of all the holes in the nozzle represented water.

the "fountain" was actually inside the woman.