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Antique original
QUACK MEDICAL DEVICE
a complete set
( battery not included )
A decent example of an vintage Medical quackery device
A so called “ Induction Coil" machine
Circa the 1890s
Made by ‘ STANLEY & PATTERSON ‘ - New York City
“ the new no. 4 D.D. Home apparatus “
125 year old Quack Medical Shock Machine !
from a time when desperate people believed they could shock themselves into feeling better.
this antique quack device unit looks complete ( minus the Mesco dry cell battery )
it comes with the various components used to apply a light electric charge to the ‘patient’
in the last century ,
it was popularly believed that electricity could cure many ailments, from rheumatism to baldness.
Shock machines, like this one, were often bought by people so they could administer their own treatment without consulting a doctor.
the pads were placed on the ailing part of the body, then the patient’s body was used as a conductor as electric current passed between the probes or the ‘ foot plate ‘ ( ground )
These were popular when electricity was a still a novelty
Existing long before D cell batteries was standard, devices like this Stanley & Patterson device utilized a special low voltage dry cell battery.
Marketed as a cure-all for everything from "exhaustion" to rheumatism,
devices like this delivered a mild electric shock to the patient via electrodes on probes ,..
Vintage as "quack" medical devices, are highly collectible pieces of medical & scientific American history.
Housed in a well constructed wooden box that has hinged openings at both ends
It has a nickel plated folding carry handle and closure hooks.
The wood has a beautiful pleasing natural patina
internally ….it has the original induction coil, adjustable and a tubular steel sleeve designed to contain the 1 1/2 volt Dry Cell battery ( battery not included !)
the Accessories appear to be complete & intact ,…
Including two wooden handles that would attach to the nickel plated tubes & Dampened eletro pads
the ‘ pads’ that transmitted the ‘ shock ‘
it also comes with a rectangular steel grounding ‘ foot plate ‘ pad ,
Two original cloth-covered lead wires that are ‘ mint’ fully intact , not frayed or damaged
it would be easy to rig up a low voltage flashlight battery , and get this working again
( there are inexpensive modern made D Cell conversion inserts available from several sources )
All the parts are all intact with no damage , rust or corrosion
an excellent collectible & display piece.
The box measures approximately 9” x 4.5 “ x 4.5”
The tempting nature of these cure all devices
made the demand for such items strong into the early 1900s
The placebo effect likely made the patient feel better
grandiose promises of a cure,
people in desperate need of healing could be hoodwinked by snake oil and new fangled devices that promised relief.
One of the ways the courts were able to ban quack machines,
was by claiming that they did not have proper instructions on the use of the device,
Quack manufacturers were quick with a remedy by ensuring the instructions were printed right on the machine.
Despite their popularity, shock machines eventually fell out of favor as regulators made them harder to market
The mild shocks produced by the machine itself were harmless, but—as with any quack device—the real damage resulted in illnesses going without proper treatment.
When a woman in Chicago refused medical treatment and decided to use a shock machine, the device manufacturer was brought to court.
Despite being defended by an education director and chiropractor, the court eventually found the manufacturer at fault,
don’t pass it up
Complete intact units are impossible to find today ….as the small parts were easily lost over the past 130 years
A real
MEDICAL QUACK
SNAKE OIL salesman
medicine man
Side show
Circus freak
Wild West
Antique !
