While they are widely accepted now as the best way to gain backdoor access, butt plugs used to be used in vastly different context. In the 19th century, a man by the name of Dr. Young created “rectal dilators” to help cure insomnia, headaches, acne, and insanity, among other things. Research concluded, according to Dr. Young, that 3/4 of “howling maniacs” reported being cured after just a few weeks of usage.

So the next time you see a butt plug, don’t think of it as an inherently horny device, think of it as a tool that progressed modern medicine. Thank you, Dr. Young, for finding something to stick up our butts.