What is that Tudor thing that falls out of women's knickers?

[FinallyRelief]

Ok a while back there was this thread about what bleurgh things people have learned on Mumsnet and I've lost the name of it - but people/ladies of Tudor times - I think? They didn't wash so like would deposit things - mousekins? Moshekins?

It's disturbed me then and now I can't remember the name!!

Merkins were the wigs to hide that you shaved your pubes because of lice wasn't it?

I googled ''sootikins'' and it is surely untrue.
Who would allow themselves to get so begrimed with ''soot'' in the genital area that the ''accumulations'' would ''fall out''.....

Not believing it at all. Even Tudor people had access to water to wash with, and as another poster has said, the vagina is a self- cleansing area of the body...one doesn't get buildups like a chimney..

The cat called ''Merkin'' with explanation given is so sweet ''Found on your lap'' :)

Are you on about decidual cast perhaps? (do not google some images are a bit strong).

You’re thinking of sootikins which as others have said is a totally made up, misogynistic thing.

Decidual casts are very real, though, and, I think, quite incredible.

It's not true. It's from this book, which is a joke book:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dictionary_of_Disgusting_Facts

The other facts on that page are not true either. Oxford don Gilbert Murray never even had a son called Philip. They just said it to wind up Polly Toynbee.

The foreword is by Sir Les Patterson (Barry Humphries), which should give you a clue.

Threads you regret opening ...

I've had periods of bad self-care dure to MH and I can confirm nothing builds up like that if you don't wash!

@BertieBotts

I thought sootikins were real - I'm certain somebody on MN had one once and everyone was - it's probably in Classics!

TBF there are quite a few works of fiction on Classics.

Betteliefsen😊😊😊😊

Ohh yes, decidual cast, that was what the MNer's mystery blob turned out to be. There was talk of sootikins on that thread which is probably why I got mixed up

I'm going to have to Google decidual cast. Stand by with the smelling salts

Big mistake 😬

Oh my god I wish I hadn't googled that (not envy)

It's true the Tudors didn't wash with water but I read an interesting article about how they stayed clean by dry brushing and frequent changing of linen underwear. newrepublic.com/article/129828/getting-clean-tudor-way

For curious people, it's a more solid mass of passed blood that has the shape of the uterus. Not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but essentially just a kind of blood mould. Nothing inherently disgusting.

[quote KetoPenguin]It's true the Tudors didn't wash with water but I read an interesting article about how they stayed clean by dry brushing and frequent changing of linen underwear. newrepublic.com/article/129828/getting-clean-tudor-way[/quote]
It’s a myth that they didn’t use soap and water;

onthetudortrail.com/Blog/resources/life-in-tudor-england/tudor-hygiene-part-1-bathing/

Glad others have pointed out that this is entirely fictional - it's amazing the number of people who believe it, though. I mean, just think about the mechanics of it - how could it possibly be true?

@ShebaShimmyShake

For curious people, it's a more solid mass of passed blood that has the shape of the uterus. Not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but essentially just a kind of blood mould. Nothing inherently disgusting.

Uterus shaped?! How does it get past the cervix?

Uterus shaped?! How does it get past the cervix?

I guess it opens up as it would for labour. As I understand it, it's basically when the entire uterus lining comes away at once and retains the shape. I'm not a doctor though, happy to be corrected.

As I said, not the prettiest sight in the world but effectively just a shaped mass of blood.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sooterkin
Giving birth to fabled creatures size of mice
sounds damn sight easier than a 53cm head circumference

[quote KetoPenguin]It's true the Tudors didn't wash with water but I read an interesting article about how they stayed clean by dry brushing and frequent changing of linen underwear. newrepublic.com/article/129828/getting-clean-tudor-way[/quote]
That was really interesting! Thanks for posting that,

Anyone else clenching their undercarriages upon reading 'dry brushing'?

The Tudors definitely washed with soap and water.

FWIW chastity belts (I've lost track who mentioned that) are also a myth.

People's clothes might have smelt (because washing things like velvet is quite tricky), but their bodies were probably fairly ok.

I don't think they dry brushed their vaginas.