In 2021, single-use plastic items were banned in the EU, and thus also in Norway. Until then, it had been common to produce and sell cotton swabs, or so-called Q-tips, in plastic. The ban is a step in the work to reduce plastic consumption and litter in the world.
But what did people use before the Q-tip appeared?
The ear, nose and throat specialists tell us, with a slightly humorous touch, that we should not stick anything smaller than the elbow into the ear. Unfortunately, many of us are not very good at following this particular advice, and people in the past were from the look of things probably not any better at avoiding sticking things in their ears.
Have you heard of the ear spoon? You can see it in the picture there. It has a blunt end, like a spoon, that you stick into your ear to clean out earwax. I wonder what today’s doctors think about this?
This ear spoon consists of two parts that are attached together with a brass bolt. The spoon itself is made of ivory, and the other, somewhat sharper part is made of tortoiseshell. Whether the pointed end is also for the ears, or if it is intended for something else is not known. Unlike today’s Q-tips, both those made of plastic and the new version of paper, these ear spoons were meant to be used again and again.
The ear spoon belonged to a member of the Bruun family on Børøya.
Today, the trade in both ivory and turtoiseshells is strictly illegal. Both the elephants and the hawksbill sea turtle are threatened with extinction.
The ear spoon is part of the collection at Melbo Manor.