In 1818 in Paris there was a new epidemic. Individuals were going round punching sharp objects into the rear of ladies bottoms.
The first case reported - was a young lady sitting on a bench when she felt a sharp pang which made her loose consciousness. Then a few days later, a lady walking in the Palais Royal on the arm of her husband, was wounded in the left buttock.
The cases occurred with increasing frequency, so that this "epidemic puncturer" became an alarming problem for the authorities. The ladies refused to leave home alone so the police devised a ruse: They hired twenty young ladies who'd would walk through the streets of Paris slowly and making their movements as stimulating as possible for attracting the attention of the "puncturer." Two plainclothes officers followed them at a safe distance and would intervene if the maniacs made their appearance. They were unsuccessful and after 8 days it was abandoned. Some manufactures played on the concern on the women. One manufacturer launched an anti-venum ointment against the pricks and the other made this light metal bottom protectors.
Finally, on February 1 1820 the court sentenced to five years in prison Bizeul Auguste-Marie, a tailor, thirty five years, accused of having punctured four ladies. This warning wasn't effective as it continued to 1821 but he still served his full sentence.
An amusing article I spotted a couple of weeks ago. Sorry I thought I had saved the link to it but I can't find it.
Ronnie
xx
