This pessary circa 1930-1950 made from aluminium would have been inserted in the cervical canal for use as a contraceptive.

They were frequently expelled and this device has a hole in the dome section through which a suture could be sewn to keep it in place. In theory they would be changed monthly but in practice they were not and the resulting infections meant that they fell from favour after the 1950s.

• From the Phisick collection