[Ads-l] antedating "French safe"

Pete Morris mr_peter_morris at OUTLOOK.COM
Mon Aug 17 15:24:23 UTC 2026


Here's a cite from 1856
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_People_s_Medical_Lighthouse/5fc2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22French+male+SAFE%22&pg=PA391&printsec=frontcover


------ Original Message ------
>From "Laurence Horn" <00001c05436ff7cf-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Date 17/08/2026 00:37:44
Subject Re: antedating "French safe"

>Thus slightly trailing the "French letter" (1856).
>
>On Sun, Aug 16, 2026 at 5:49 PM Jonathan Lighter <
>00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
>>  OED: 1868. All from N.:
>>
>>  1859 _Baraboo [Wis.] Republic_ (Dec. 8) 4: FRENCH MALE SAFES...50 cts.
>>  each.
>>
>>  1860 _Memphis Daily Argus_ (Sept. 25) 4: Dr. THOMSON has for sale the
>>  newly invented French SAFE, a sure preventive against disease and
>>  pregnancy.
>>
>>  1865 _Mountain Democrat_ (Placerville, Calif.) (Apr. 8) 3: The newly
>>  invented Patent French Safe, a sure preventive against disease and
>>  pregnancy.
>>
>>   JL
>>
>>  --
>>  "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>>
>>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
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