A silver plated pessary used for contraception in the second quarter of the 20th century. These intra-cervical devices were the precursors to the intra-uterine devices (IUDs) used today.

The stem would sit in the cervical canal and so strictly speaking they were Intra Cervical Devices and they barely reached the uterus. They were intended to be replaced monthly but rarely were and they tended either to be retained, causing much morbidity (from myometritis to toxic shock), or to be expelled when they were ineffective for contraception.

• From the Phisick collection