Vibration

Massage therapy is an ancient practice that has remained popular because of the presumed increase in circulation to diseased tissues. The discovery of electricity allowed healers to better provide "healing oxygen" through vibration.  

vibration of the “internal organs” with the Macaura’s Pulsocon (ca. 1920)
Small hand operated home devices were fashionable in the early twentieth century, and they were touted to cure almost any disease. One of the more popular was the Macaura Pulsocon, invented by the “vibrotherapist” Gerald Macaura, who established his therapeutic institute in Manchester, England in 1908.
early twentieth century handheld vibrators
(top): VeeDee by J.E. Garratt, London; (bottom): Macaura’s Pulsocon by the British Appliances and Manufacturing Co., Glasgow
demonstration of the VeeDee (ca. 1910) used for headaches
massage vibrator by the Battle Creek Equipment Co.
vibratory treatment for the head
vibratory treatment for the stomach
from The Value of Vibrotherapy as a Therapeutic Measure (1913) by J.H. Kellogg
early twentieth century eyeball massagers
Exercising increases strength, so certainly the logical treatment for “weak eyes” would be to exercise those muscles, and thus strengthen eyesight. Physicians jumped to that conclusion and came up with a variety of eyeball massagers, their production and sale perfectly legal since there was no requirement at the time to prove their safety or efficacy. (left to right): the Ideal Company and the Neu Vita massager
vibratory treatment of the eye
early twentieth century Shelton Vibrator for treatment of the chest
Portible vibrators were available for home use to treat almost any medical problem.
Dr. Swift's massage treatments
From the time of Hippocrates, the term “hysteria,” or literally “womb disease,” has been considered a female disorder, and the symptoms were many, including anxiety, insomnia, swooning (or perhaps petit mal seizures), and almost any abdominal discomfort. Some physicians treated this "disease" of female patients their office.
early twentieth century home hand electric vibrators
In the early twentieth century, vaginal stimulation with vibratory devices for the treatment of female hysteria was a common and lucrative part of many physicians’ office practices, and small electric vibrators were frequently found in homes throughout America for personal use. (left): Calvete vibrator #2; (right): the White Cross vibrator
vibrator from Club Health Products, 1928
Kolon Motor
This device was used to treat upper digestive and lower gastrointestinal disorders by massage.
the Battle Creek Health Builder Oscillo-Manipulator by the Sanitarium and Hospital Equipment Co.
Similar devices were sold into the 1950's for weight reduction.
the treatment of liver disease through massage
vibration for ear disease by a tissue oscillator (ca. 1920)
Battle Creek Vibratory Chair by the Sanitarium and Hospital Equipment Co., Massage Vibrator by the Battle Creek Equipment Co.
Larger pieces of vibrating equipment, including beds and chairs, could be found in hospitals and sanitariums for the treatment of a variety of systemic disorders, as well as for an improvement in general metabolism, cell nutrition, body secretion, elimination, peristalsis, and blood and lymph flow to name just a few of the purported benefits.
The Health Jolting Chair
using the foot attachment of the vibratory chair
from The Value of Vibrotherapy as a Therapeutic Measure (1913) by J.H. Kellogg
the Violin Vibraphone
This rare instrument was used by physicians in the early twentieth century to cure deafness by stimulating "frozen" inner ear ossicles. The patient would put on the stethoscope and listen to various sound frequencies played through a battery powered violin.
Audiometer by H. Pfau in Berlin
This device complements the violin vibraphone above since it employed a violin bow to be used for the diagnosis of various forms of hearing impairment.
ear vibratory treatment of deafness
Dr. Powell used this battery powered device to stimulate the inner ear and thus magically restore hearing.
Meco-Sazh for Hair and Health by the Foster Manufacturing Co., Cleveland
Stimulating the hair follicles by vibration was sure to improve hair growth.
Evans Vacuum Cap
This device used suction to aid hair growth.

Devices and Therapies

Before technology provided healers with sophisticated bells and whistles, most were content to use the elements they had at hand, including water, light, and temperature. A common goal was to either increase or decrease circulation and thus oxygen supply to various diseased parts of the body. Additionally, few physicians hesitated to explore mysterious new and untested healing discoveries like electricity and radioactivity. 

Catalog cover for the Vi-Rex Electric Company (ca. 1930)

Electricity

From the time of the ancients, electricity was always an astonishing and almost miraculous phenomenon.  Any number of superstitions and myths attended the natural occurrence of lightening, and early Vikings believed that this phenomenon originated from a magic hammer thrown to earth by Thor, the god of thunder. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, Benjamin Franklin established the relationship between lightening and electricity with his famous kite experiment.  

Dispensing of medical electricity (1824), oil painting by Edmund Bristow
Large electrostatic generators were used for the treatment of "rheumatism" in the eighteenth century.
diploma from the National College of Electro-Therapeutics (1928)
The provision of electrotherapy became established at several universities in the United States when they offered graduate degrees in this new specialty.

Miscellaneous Theories

Medical therapy drifted in many strange and unusual directions until physicians were required to test their treatments according to the scientific method with controlled series. 

splenic douche from Rational Hydrotherapy (1902) by J.H. Kellogg
Water therapy is one of the most ancient forms of treatment, and was popular in ancient Egyptian cultures probably because water was so readily available, and was capable of producing so many easily recognizable physiological effects. The Romans had baths where the afflicted could get treatment at various temperatures. Hydrotherapy continues to be employed, especially in spas around the coutry.
“affusion” as a form of hydrotherapy from Rational Hydrotherapy (1902) by J.H. Kellogg
Dr. Chamlee's cancer cure
Without regulations regarding advertising, physicians were permitted to make any claim, no matter how grandiose. Cancer was, and remains, the most feared condition.
the Smoke Canceler
With the threat of cancer caused by smoking came this reassuring device to protect consumers.
Bauncheidt Lebenswecker with oleum and application brush (ca. 1870)
The Bauncheidt Lebenswecker was an ebony device containing multiple spring-loaded needles that was popular during the latter art of the nineteenth century. The physician would make multiple punctures after he prepared the skin with a coat of special oil, or “Oleum.” It was promoted as a "counter-irritant," or a way of creating a path for noxious internal materials to exit the body without surgery. It was also promoted by some as a "life awakener" to bring back the dead. Probably the only benefit was in pain reduction since discomfort produced in one area of the body can sometimes reduce it elsewhere.
hospital use of the Oxypathor (ca. 1900)
At the end of the nineteenth century, Dr. Hercules Sanche “invented” the Electropoise, claiming that it “forces oxygen into the blood stream,” thereby treating any number of serious medical conditions. Its successor was an 1896 upgrade aptly named the Oxydonor that contained a piece of carbon, and sold for $35. The claim for this device was similar in that it “causes the human organism to thirst for and absorb oxygen, the true vitalizer of the blood, through pores in the skin.” The oxypathor was another variant.
early twentieth century “oxygenators”
(top): Standard Electrocure No. 2 by FC Lillibridge Co., Newark; (bottom left): Duplex Oxypathor by the Oxypathor Co., Buffalo, Farador by the Farador Co. of Canada, Ontario, Electropoise, Birmingham
advertisement of Dr. Sanche’s Oxydonor (ca. 1900)
the Farador treatment at home (ca. 1910)
Even the young were exposed to these useless devices, and unfortunately kept very sick patients from lifesaving medical care.
Actina by the New York & London Electric Association, Kansas City, Mo. (ca. 1910)
“Professor” William C. Wilson recognized the difficulties people were having with their hearing and vision, and so produced the Actina Pocket Battery, which purportedly cured both blindness and deafness for a mere ten dollars. In fact, the Actina was simply a small metal cylinder that contained a piece of muslin soaked in sassafras, mustard oil, belladonna extract, ether, and amyl nitrate. The device had to be sent back to the manufacturer three times a year to be “recharged” (for one dollar) and of course, a “caution” was included in the package insert: “Do not allow any one under any circumstances to recharge your Actina. Our formula is a secret..."
Zello=Punkt nose straightener
Plastic surgery was rarely available, so this simple alternative was marked to those concerned about their appearance.
advertising for the Zello=Punkt nose straightener
spermatorrhoea
Sexual activity has always been a controversial subject, not only within the medical community, but in all aspects of society as well. Masturbation, or spermatorrhoea (including nocturnal emissions), was a topic of great medical interest and had been associated with the development of weakness, mental illness, blindness, and countless medical disorders for generations.
the effects of self-abuse on members of a family (ca. 1910)
This devistating condition (masterbation) adversly affected the whole family.
a medical specialty pertaining to spermatorrhea
A number of physicians specialized in treating this problem.
Adolescent Onanism Device
Onanism is another term for masturbation, the term derived from Genesis when Judah directed that his son Onan have intercourse with the widow of his brother Er, as required by the law at the time. This is an early 20th century adolescent onanism, or anti-masterbation, device.
Adult Onanism Belt
This French adult onanism belt was likely used on institutionalized patients since it comes with an attached lock.
spermatorrhoea ring (ca. 1900)
This ring was to be worn by men at night to prevent nocturnal emissions (which would weaken the system and result in numerous other conditions including hair loss, blindness, and early aging). Should the wearer have an erection, the spike would awaken him rather abruptly.
early twentieth century advertisement for the Spermatorrhoea Ring by Dr. Foot’s Sanitary Bureau (ca. 1900)
an iced cure for spermatorrhoea by the Robert E. Revere and Co. (ca. 1900)
This was another way in which to prevent nocturnal emissions.
conditions related to the spastic rectal sphincter
Rectal dilators were popular in the early 20th century, and were sold as a home device to treat any number of medical and neurological complaints, the theory being that the use of this product stimulated nerve pathways that controlled metabolic functions in various organ systems. This illustration is from Manual for Young’s Rectal Dilators (ca. 1920)
early twentieth century rectal dilators
(top left): Young’s Rectal Dilators by F.E. Young and Co., Chicago, (top right): Valens Bio-Dynamo Prostatic and Rectal Normalizer, George Starr White, MD, Los Angeles; (bottom left): Curvlite glass rectal dilators, (bottom right): Electro-Thermo Dilators by the Electro-Surgical Appliance Co., Inc., San Francisco

Alternating Current

Nikola Tesla was one of the greatest inventors of modern times, and his early landmark discoveries include the radio and alternating current. He was able to transform household electricity into high voltage, high frequency, low amperage energy. His development of high frequency current in 1891 was picked up by the medical community as manufacturers incorporated this discovery in a variety of medial devices. 

electrotherapeutic D’Arsonval, cage by Richard Heller of Paris (ca. 1890–1910)
Since electricity was more available in the twentieth century, manufacturers felt free to use their imagination. They aggressively promoted devices that used indirect current for use in the home as well as in doctors’ offices where large equipment such as cages and chairs could be found.
De Kraft auto-condensation electric chair
This unusual set of medical electric chair, cabinet, and wallplate was made by the Wappler Company (ca. 1930). Wappler went on to be a major manufacturer of urology equipment.
early twentieth century high-frequency treatment chair with vacuum tubes by Campbell
This is anothetr type of medical electric chair with electric footplate by the Davis Electric Company, Parkersburg, West Virginia (1904)
electric steam cabinet (ca. 1930)
Steam cabinets were often found in health clubs; this one would have been found in a physician's office with electric chair included for advanced treatment.
electric cabinet by the Petersime Incubator Company
This is another type of electric cabinet, though without steam.
diathermy treatment of the knee
Heat by way of short wave diathermy was another popular way in which physicians stretched the limits of early discoveries in electricity. This illustration is from Diathermy and Its Application to Pneumonia (1923) by Harry Eaton Stewart, MD
D’Arsonval type high-frequency machine with Oudin Resonator (ca.1930)
This Hogan device was manufactured by the McIntosh Electrical Corporation and was named after an employee, Mr. George Hogan. It contained a large and very effective Tesla coil.
high frequency machine by Frank S. Betz & Co.
Thias is another variety of a high frequency device.
Faradic treatment of the back
a portable diathermy apparatus
This small set by the McIntosh Electric Corporation, Chicago (ca. 1930) was used by physicians with any number of hand-held attachments to treat various parts of the body.
diathermy for deafness using two terminals of the D’Arsonval
This illustration is from Practical Index to Electro-Therapy (1925) by Joseph Waddington, MD, CM
hand held attachments for a diathermy machine
rollers, brushes, and attachments for the treatment of the eye, rectum, prostate, and vagina
electrostimulation by Guillaume B.A. Duchenne, MD (1862), albumin print by Adrien Tournachon
Guillaume BA Duchenne, MD (1806-1875) was one of the pioneers of electrotherapy and a founder of modern neurology. In 1862, he published two atlases demonstrating various expressions that could be produced by stimulating different facial muscle groups.
neurological exam (ca. 1884), gelatin silver print by Charles Lanier
Thompson-Plaster“Neurisco” by the Thompson-Plaster X-Ray Co., Inc., Leesburg, Va. (ca. 1930)
an ENT machine adapted for other types of therapy
diathermy with treatment of the knee with pads (ca. 1920)
a small home device for high frequency therapy
short wave oscilloclast with accessories, College of Electronic Medicine, San Francisco
short wave diathermy unit (ca. 1930) by The Liebel-Flarsheim Co., Cincinnati
This very intimidating machine would have been very impressive to perspective patients (adding to a very impressive placebo effect).
long-path Air-Spaced Plate application to the sinuses with the Liebel-Flarsheim diathermy unit (ca. 1930)
long-path Air-Spaced Plate application to the sinuses with the Liebel-Flarsheim diathermy unit (ca. 1930)
electrohydric bath
Some physicians ventured into the dangerous practice of mixing water and electricity in their treatment regimens. This illustration is from Rational Hydrotherapy (1902) by J.H. Kellogg, MD
electric Solenoid bath
another illustration of the mixture of water and electricity from A System of Instruction in X- Ray Methods and Medical Uses of Light, Hot-Air, Vibration and High-Frequency Currents (1902) by S.H. Monell, MD
electro therapeutic hydrotherapy
from Scientific American, Jan 1916
theronoid coil with small demonstration light (ca. 1930)
Elias Smith of Normal, Illinois was the first to produce electromagnetic body coils (1869), but the most commercially successful was the I-ON-A-CO (I Own A Company) body coil, an eighteen inch insulated coil of wire connected to house current. It was nicknamed the “magic horse collar” and was worn around the neck or waist. Gaylord Wilshire of Los Angeles developed the I-ON-A-CO and charged $55 each, though he never reaped the financial benefit of his “discovery” since he died of kidney failure in New York not long after its production. Wilshire, a multifaceted individual, was for a time involved in real estate speculation just outside of Los Angeles, and is remembered today by his famous namesake, the Wilshire Boulevard.
demonstration of the theronoid coil (ca. 1930)
a testamonial for the theronoid coil
Booklets accompanying the belts always contained testimonials, and following are two examples written for the Theronoid belt, an imitation of Wilshire’s invention.
a testamonial for the theronoid coil
advertisement fo the Merke Thermocap by Allied Merke Institutes, Inc., New York, for hair growth (ca. 1920)
Personal appearance has been of interest to patients from the earliest recorded history when Egyptian physicians treated baldness with “fat of lion, fat of hippopotamus, fat of cat, fat of crocodile, fat of ibex, fat of serpent, are mixed together and the head of the bald person is anointed with them.” In the nineteenth century, manufacturers responded to the market by producing a number of devices to address the “medical problem” of hair loss powered by direct current, static electricity, magnetism, heat, and vibration.
the Merke Thermocap by Allied Merke Institutes, Inc., New York, for hair growth (ca. 1920)
The heating element in this simple device was a light bulb.
the Pathoclast, Model IX-C by Pathometric Laboratories, Chicago (ca. 1930)
This complex instrument was purportedly used for the diagnosis and treatment of many medical conditions. It is a radionics device meaning it collected your diseased abnormal sine radio waves and then neurtalized them thus providing a cure
electro-shock machine (ca. 1930)
This electro-shock machine was made famous for the treatment of various mental disorders in the movie One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. A similar device is still being used (effectively) for the treatment of depression.
The-Schanne-Electro-Podic-Apparatus, ca 1940
This is a galvanic and sinusoidal wave foot and body therapy machine with the control box to generate galvanic or sinusoidal current applied to the foot electrodes: galvanic for urology, hemorrhoids, and gynecology problems with slow sinusoidal current for constipation, nervousness, muscles, insomnia, and headaches.

Direct Current

Electricity could be produced in a number of ways, and entrepreneurs were eager to capitalize on a growing and unregulated industry. Faradic, galvanic, wet and dry cell batteries, and static electricity produced direct current for home devices before indirect current was available to power larger machines in doctors’ offices.  

Essai Theoretique et Experimental sur Galvanism (1804) by Jean Aldini (check)
In London, Giovanni Aldini's experiments involved the application of electrical currents given to a recently executed criminal. Aldini stated: “On the first application of the arcs the jaw began to quiver, the adjoining muscles were horribly contorted, and the left eye actually opened.” Mary Shelly wrote her classic horror story of reanimation by electricity just a few years later in 1818, and the introduction of her second edition of “Frankenstein” included the comment that reanimation of the dead is “not of impossible occurrence.” The idea for her novel may have come in part from the work of Aldini.
early twentieth century twenty four- plate electrostatic generator (by Wagner?) with glass legged table and hand electrodes
Large electrostatic generators, sometimes referred to as friction machines, could produce a high voltage current when spinning glass plates or cylinders were in contact with pads of various materials. The resulting charge was then stored in Leyden jars, which acted as capacitors, and the current was used therapeutically in any number of ways the imagination could conceive. Despite the fact that these devices were without any proven merit, many were found in physicians’ offices in the early twentieth century.
advertisement for a large Wagner electrostatic generator
glass and brass discharge wand for an electrostatic generator
chest treatment with an electrostatic generator
An electrostatic generator in use from Practical Electro-Therapeutics (1908) by Franklin Gottschalk, MD
18th century Ramsden's electrostatic generator
Illustration by Amedee Guillemin
Ramsden electrostatic generator by Pixii of Paris (ca. 1780)
This is another variety of electrostatic generator.
Glass electrostatic generator by Edward Nairne (ca. 1770)
Early models could be used in the home for nervous disorders.
electric chair
This unmarked direct current electric chair was used in the doctor's office to treat any number of medical conditions.
Magneto-Electric machine by Green (ca. 1880)
Magneto-Electric machines (ca. 1880)
Consumers were offered many ways in which to utilize the new marvel of electricity at home. In 1854, Davis and Kidder patented a magneto-electric machine which became one of the earliest and most popular home electric devices of the nineteenth century. It generated an electric current from spinning magnets which sent a small shock to surprised and delighted patients suffering from any number of nervous disorders. (left): unmarked; (right): by Joseph Gray and Son, Sheffield
advertisement for a magneto-machine
magneto-electric machine
This is an unusual variety of the hand cranked magnto machine.
Seymore's Battery
This is a very complicated battery powered device with lots of "bells and whistles."
battery-powered Williams’ Dial Electro-Magnetic Machine
Barrett Medico Electro Galvanometer
Appareil Trouve
This small French direct current device was manufactured in Paris though availale in the US.
early twentieth century trade card for Harness’ Electric Corsets
Dr. Scott's electric corset
electric corset
This corset could be worn at home for the treatment of muscular or abdominal disorders. A small battery provided the power.
advertising card for products by the Dr. Scott’s Electric Company (ca. 1900)
Scott's magnetic brush with compass
These popular brushes actually contained magnets inside and the small compass that came with the brush proved to the buyer that this device had healing powers.
Scott's brush advertising
White’s Electric comb
This comb contained a battery to make it effective in restoring hair.
Electreat device with external and internal attachments (ca. 1925), Electreat Mfg. Company, Peoria, Illinois
The Electreat was a hand-held battery powered apparatus for home use that was to be drawn across the body to relieve pain and strengthen the heart. This instrument was first manufactured in Peoria, Illinois in 1919, and has the distinction of being the first device seized by the government under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938.
demonstration for the use of the electreat hand-held device (ca. 1925)
advertising for Pulvermacher's electric belts
Another option was the electric belt, which contained a copper disc in the front with two to four chrome plated nickel discs at the rear. The “copper-nickel interaction” supposedly created a healing electromagnetic field that would treat almost any disease by magnetizing iron in the blood, thus improving oxygenation to all tissues. A belt was available for each sex, the male type containing a suspensory attachment for improved potency.
advertising for Pulvermacher's electric belts
female and male magnetic belts by Mioxrls (ca. 1920)
Electro-Vitalizer male magnetic belt
Boyd’s Batteries (1879)
One of the more popular devices was a Boyd’s galvanic battery as electricity was purportedly produced by the “amalgamation” of several different metals. When hung around the neck, the Boyd’s Battery cured by “electrifying the entire system.”
advertisement for the Boyd's Battery
In his 1879 handbook, Boyd guaranteed the ability of his Miniature Battery to cure almost any condition.
electric weights by the Smith and Shaw Electric Co.
Small batteries increased the ability of these weights to energizer the user.
advertising for electric weights by the Smith and Shaw Electric Co.
penny arcade device (ca. 1930) by the Midland Manufacturing Company
Carnival sideshows often had a place in their penny arcades for electrotherapy where entrepreneurs saw a commercial opportunity in diagnosing and treating medical conditions.
Mills "Electricity is Life"
This is one of the more ornate devices of this type.
electric helmet by Energo of Turin, Italy; Faradic Battery by S. Maw Son and Thompson, London (ca. 1930)
There was always a demand for devices that would treat mental disease. Electric helmets of all sorts were manufactured in the early part of the twentieth century to provde relief for these patients, mostly in Italy and in France.
another direct current electric helmet
by Societe Electromedica, Apparecchi ad alla frequenza, Milano in Italy
Institut Electrotherapique, Paris
an electric helmet from France
Electromedical Society helmet
This glass helmet was used in Milan, Italy for the treatment of any number of central nervous system complaints.
E. Balzanni Electric Helmet
This is a very unusual cased direct current Italian electric helmet from Balzanni in Milan.

Radioactivity

The newly discovered wonder of radioactivity in the early twentieth century awaited a commercial application which was eagerly supplied by innovative entrepreneurs. 

the Glen Springs radioactive baths
Sanitariums offering radioactive therapy throughout the country were popular in the early twentieth century.
radioactive inhalation treatment
Dr. Shower's Radium Salve
When the therapuetic benefits of radiation were unknown, radioactive substances were used to treat almost every medical condition.
Radithor
Radithor was a highly radioactive cureall manufactured and sold by William John Aloysius Bailey, a con artist in the late 1920’s. Eben M. Byers was a millionaire socialite who was the 1907 US Amateur Golf Champion and the Chairman of the AM Byers Iron Foundry. He was a handsome and dashing figure popular in all circles of society, though when chronic pain interfered with his golf, he began to take an interest in radithor for relief. Byers became the “poster boy” for radithor, and drank 1,400 bottles between 1927 and 1930. He subsequently developed cancer of his jaw and skull, marking the end of his life and the beginning of regulations regarding the sale of radioactive substances.
Radium Water
A number of radioactive jugs were offered for home use. The patient would fill the jug in the evening and drink the radioactive contents the next morning.
Invigorator
another radioactive container for the treatment of water
radioactive jugs
Zimmer Laborartory Radium Emanator
This small radioactive device could be hung in a jar of water if a radioactve jug was not available.
The Radium Nutex
Radioactive condoms were supposed to have magical properties.

Light

Light therapy has always been considered a healing force, and because they felt that light was the source of life, some Egyptian cults worshipped the sun and the healing ability of light. This modality was rediscovered by JH Kellogg in his "Light Therapeutics" (1910): "To be able to harness this force, to control it, and to focus it upon any desired organ or function of the body, is one of the newest and greatest triumphs of modern therapeutics.” 

the Horizontal Electric-Light Bath
from A System of Instruction in XRay Methods and Medical Uses of Light, Hot-Air, Vibration and High-Frequency Currents (1902) by S.H. Monell, MD
Light Therapeutics (1910) by J.H. Kellogg
a demonstration of arc light therapy to the spine
SunArc bath treatment of an infant
Healers did not hesitate to use these untested devices on patients of all ages.
early twentieth century light therapy
early twentieth century light therapy
early twentieth century Dinshah Spectro-Chrome Metry devices by the Spectro-Chrome Institute, Malaga, New Jersey
Colonel Dinshah Ghadiali was a “metaphysician,” and President of the Spectro-Chrome Institute. According to his theories, most diseases could be treated by shining lights of differing colors and intensity on the ill and disabled. The foundation of Dinshah’s therapy rested on the assumption that colors projected on the skin can be effective in treating various diseases, both internal and external, by altering the abnormal physiology that those diseases cause.
unmarked light healing helmet
This French healing helmet employed different light sources for the treatment of various conditions.
early twentieth century violet ray cased sets
Numerous annealed glass tubes constructed under low vacuum glowed with different colors, depending on the gas within. They were designed to spark when touched and came in different shapes to treat different parts of the body for the therapy of almost any condition. (left to right) Energex by Sears, Roebuck, and Co., Renulife, model R, Renulife Electric Co., Detroit, Michigan, LifeLite, model A, Ultra-Violet Home Products, Inc., Los Angeles, California
Violet Ray by Aloe and Co.
This is a very rare complete violet ray device by Aloe.
early twentieth century violet ray attachments
(top): two ozone generators, ophthalmic attachment, body roller, ozone-cocaine wound electrode, insulated rectal electrode, penile applicator, insulated vaginal applicator; (bottom): radium electrode, body coil, head and hair brush, breast attachment
ultraviolet ray treatment using the LifeLite ultraviolet light (ca. 1930)
demonstration of the bifurcated eye vacuum tube
from High Frequency Electric Currents in Medicine and Dentistry (1910) by S.H. Monell, MD
demonstration of the Shelton ozone generator with bulb attachment (ca. 1930)
Ozone was a byproduct of the discharge from these vacuum tubes, and was inhaled for its supposed health benefits.
treatment of the chest with the violet ray
from High Frequency Electric Currents in Medicine and Dentistry (1910) by S.H. Monell, MD
violet ray treatment of the breast
from High Frequency Electric Currents in Medicine and Dentistry (1910) by S.H. Monell, MD
the Brain Wave Synchronizer
Not long after the discovery of the electroencephalogram and its demonstration of the presence of brain waves, an entrepreneur produced this device to treat irregularities.

20th Century Charlatans - Kellogg, Brinkley, and Abrams

The explosion of technology and the discovery of the many applications of electricity in the early twentieth century provided opportunities for entrepreneurs who were not burdened by having to prove the safety or efficacy of their therapeutic theories. 

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg
Dr. Kellogg (1852-1943) was a holistic physician from Battle Creek, Michigan whose belief in moderation brought him to national fame. Visitors from all over the world visited his sanitarium to regain their health through a vegetarian diet, regular enemas, exercise, and therapy that included water, vibration, and electrical treatments.
The Battle Creek Santiarium
Patients visited the Battle Creek Sanitarium in hopes of curing any number of diseases including tuberculosis, cancer, obesity, and nervous disorders.
food laboratory at the Battle Creek Sanitarium
The baked wheat flakes Kellogg produced to feed guests became so popular that they replaced the usual breakfast pork and fried potatoes of the day, creating the present cereal empire that was commercially developed by his brother, William Keith.
prescribed diet in January, 1918 at the Battle Creek Sanitarium
All had to endure rather bizarre dietary regimens of Dr. Kellogg. He was also an early advocate of “Fletcherizing,” or the chewing of food to excess before swallowing.
inside the Battle Creek Sanitarium
Those entering were exposed to a full range of therapeutic modalities though one of Kellogg's great obsessions was with functions of the colon, and his “guests” spent many hours in bowel cleansing activities.
daily activities at the Battle Creek Sanitarium
Graham crackers
A number of entrepreneurs from Battle Creek, including Sylvester Graham (“Graham Crackers”) and CW Post (“Post Cereals”), soon climbed upon the bandwagon with their manufacture of breakfast cereals and health foods.
Dr. John Brinkley, the goat gland doctor
Dr. John Romulus Brinkley became the wealthiest and most powerful quack physician in the world by promoting rejuvenation through the transplantation of goats’ gonads to his patients. The theory that animal characteristics could be transmitted by transplantation had previously been suggested by physicians for hundreds of years, and with a talent for promotion, Dr. Brinkley's made his operation the rage of America and the world.
The Brinkley Hospital in Little Rock Arkansas
This is one of Dr. Brinkley's hospitals, which was dedicated to the performance of his procedure.
XERA, Brinkley radio
In 1931, Brinkley's radio station XER which was located just across the Mexican boarder initially broadcast a variety show with a powerful 75,000 watts, though after some encouragement, Mexican authorities allowed him to boost power to 500,000 watts, making it the most powerful station in the world. It was not long before XER became XERA and with power increased to an earth shattering one million watts, many channels were drowned out over a large part of the United States.
Dr. Albert Abrams, King of the Quacks
Albert Abrams, AM, MD, LLD, FRMS, a neurologist born in San Francisco in 1864, was the King of American Charlatans. Abrams believed that the diagnosis and treatment of a number of illnesses began with the percussion of reflex centers in the spine, and he was happy to provide courses on the subject at up to two hundred dollars apiece. Abrams’ electric devices were termed ERA, or Electronic Reactions of Abrams (later to be called “radionics”), and he was responsible for the production of a generation of quack machines that flooded the market in the first part of the twentieth century.
Dr. Abrams treating a patient
The treatment method recommended by Abrams involved an “oscilloclast,” which was a machine that supposedly duplicated the vibrations characteristic of each disease in order to neutralize that disorder.
Abrams' Oscilloclast (ca. 1920)
Oscilloclast
This is a rarer and more advanced form of Abrams' oscilloclast.
Abrams dynamizer and reflexophone

Early Theories

There has been a long history of confusion regarding the efficacy of various therapeutic regimens, a fact that has often led to the success of disreputable physicians: a) many patients improve spontaneously no matter what the therapy, b) up to one third will feel better by placebo effect alone, and c), the therapist's convincing conclusion that a bad outcome resulted from the patient's sinful behavior or tardiness in seeking medical help.    

Extraction of the Fool’s Stone, oil on wood by Jan Sanders van Hemessen (1500-1557)
Early quack physicians roamed the countryside curing the insane or possessed by removing the “stone of insanity.” The healer would make an incision in the forehead of those afflicted and, while palming a stone, he would appear to remove it for a cure. The present day expression describing one who exhibits unusual behavior as having “rocks in the head” is probably derived from that practice. The healer had moved on to the next town before his deception was discovered.
Perkins Tractors from the Perkins family (ca. 1796)
On February 19, 1796, Dr. Elisha Perkins (1741-1799) patented the first medical quackery device in the United States when he created two metal probes which supposedly “drew out” disease and pain after being drawn across the skin on any part of the body. His “Perkins Tractors” were two rods of brass and iron, though one tractor was supposedly made of copper, zinc, and gold, and the other iron, silver, and platinum.
Metallic Tractors (1801), aquatint with watercolors on paper by James Gillray
a famous illustration demonstrating the use of Perkin Tractors
a group of mesmerised French patients (1778/1784), oil on canvas, artist unknown
The first to bring international attention to the possibility that imbalanced magnetic life forces (termed “animal magnetism”) could be an important cause of disease processes was the German physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). Though he is recognized as an early pioneer of hypnosis, credit for that discovery went to James Braid, who refined the technique in 1842 and popularized the term “hypnosis” from the Greek word for sleep (hypnos). Dr. Mesmer’s legacy in the English language remains the term mesmerize, meaning “to cast a spell.”
a case of sixty phrenology heads (1831) by William Bally, Dublin, ceramic phrenology head by Lorenzo Fowler (1860–1896)
The assessment of character and intelligence through the examination of physical appearance is comical in one respect, though offensive regarding both race and gender in another. This “science” was taken seriously in the nineteenth century and was referred to as either phrenology or physiognomy. Phrenology, the study of facial characteristics as a reflection of personality, was created by a Viennese physician, Dr. Franz Gall (1758-1828). However, modern neuroanatomists would certainly agree that different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions and personality characteristics.
calipers for measuring dimensions of the skull
These are the calipers of George Combe, one of the founders of phrenology.
Phrenologic measurements
German phrenologist Robert Burger-Villingen is taking measurements in order to determine the personality of his patient.
German Craniometer
This is a late 19th century craniometer made in Braunshweig Germany for the determination of personality characteristics through skeletal anatomy.
Craniometer by Mathieu
Another 19th century craniometer, this one by one of the more prominent medical instrument makers in France.
Illustrated Craniometer
This would be the Mathieu craniometer in use.
New Physiognomy or Signs of Character as Manifested through Temperament and External Forms (1880) by Samuel R. Wells
“The Melancholy Nose,” is one of several illustrations of the way in which many did (and do) equate appearance with personality and behavior.
Comparative Physiognomy
Comparative Physiognomy
Phrenological Journal, March 1866
This is one of several journals published in the nineteenth century promoting the "science" of phrenology. Joseph Spurzheim brought these theories to the United States in 1832, suggesting that various parts of the brain were responsible for different personality traits, a kernal of truth that later found a more scientific footing.
symbological chart from the Phrenological Journal
Psychograph (ca. 1935) by the Psychograph Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota
In 1905, Henry C. Lavery of Superior Wisconsin invented his very complex Psychograph to evaluate personality by determining an individual’s head measurements. The Psychograph contained 1,954 parts and the cost to lease was $2,000 with an additional $35 a month. In only five minutes, the operator was able to describe a patient’s personality by print-out in thirty-two different categories that included constructiveness, secretiveness, caution, friendship, dignity, combativeness, and wit.
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