Gallery: Strange Antique Medical Devices That Promised to Cure Everything With Electricity

  • Image may contain Machine
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    01

    140815-WiredBakken-0170T

    Multi-purpose electrotherapy machine (Italy, 1922). This device could be used to treat muscle conditions, alleviate pain, or cauterize wounds.
  • Image may contain Machine Wristwatch Cooktop Indoors Architecture Clock Tower Building Tower Lathe and Electronics
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    02

    140815-WiredBakken-0173T

    Multi-purpose electrotherapy machine (Italy, 1922). A close-up view of the device from the previous slide.
  • The Doctor Lorenz Body Battery . This electric belt included electrodes to stimulate the male genitals.
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    03

    Electrical belt for men

    The Doctor Lorenz Body Battery (USA, 1870-1930). This electric belt included electrodes to stimulate the male genitals.
  • Image may contain Box
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    04

    Beard's device for electrical restoration

    Magneto (England, 1878 - 1910). A hand-cranked electric generator to restore flagging energy and treat other symptoms of neurasthenia, a poorly-defined affliction of vague pains and discomforts.
  • Image may contain Wood Plywood Workshop Building Hardwood and Housing
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    05

    Gruber-Bakken-60edit

    The Electrostatic Bath (1770-1900). This cage-like set up was designed to surround a person with a refreshing and rejuvenating field of static electricity. It included a [Ramsden generator](http://oldsite.thebakken.org/Frankenstein/ramsden-generator.htm), which connected to the cage with iron and copper contacts. The silk veil distributed the charge.
  • ElecTreat Mechanical Heart
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    06

    Electreat

    Elec-Treat Mechanical Heart (USA, 1928-1935)
  • Violet Ray RenuLife . Violet Ray devices were marketed as cures for a wide range of ailments. This kit included various...
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    07

    Violet rays

    Violet Ray Renu-Life (USA, 1926). Violet Ray devices were marketed as cures for a wide range of ailments. This kit included various attachments for delivering electric current and ultraviolet light to---and into---the body. The glass or plastic electrodes contain argon gas, which glows purple when the current is on.
  • Magneto . Another electricitygenerating magneto. This one includes a glass dome that fits over the wooden base.
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    08

    Beard's device for electrical restoration

    Magneto (England, 1845 -1900). Another electricity-generating magneto. This one includes a glass dome (not shown) that fits over the wooden base.
  • Image may contain Human Person Art and Painting
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    09

    Medical Electrician's Office

    Photograph of Electrotherapist (USA, 1904-1905). Note the freestanding electrotherapy machine at left.
  • Image may contain Tin Can and Milk Can
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    10

    Leyden Jar

    Leyden jar (France, 1750-1850). Leyden jars were among the first devices capable of storing an electric charge. Their portability enabled all sorts of new experiments with electricity, including Benjamin Franklin's [famous kite experiment](http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/kite.htm).
  • Image may contain Mailbox and Letterbox
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    11

    Wall plate

    Victor Electrotherapeutic Wall Cabinet (USA, 1905 - 1920). This multi-purpose unit would have been mounted on a wall---here it is resting upside down on its flat top.
  • Image may contain Gauge and Wristwatch
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    12

    140815-WiredBakken-0189T

    Victor Electrotherapeutic Wall Cabinet (USA, 1905 - 1920). A close-up view of the device from the previous slide, shown right side up.
  • Image may contain Book Text Page and Diary
    Tim Gruber/WIRED
    13

    Resuscitation of the apparently dead

    Reece, Richard. The medical guide, for use of the clergy, heads of families and practitioners in medicine and surgery (England, 1820). Instructions for resuscitating the apparently dead.
Read More
Review: Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max | Camera
Review: Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max | Camera
The iPhone 18 Pro Is for the Shutterbugs
Fun camera features help make these candy bar iPhones stand out from the dazzle of the folding iPhone Duo.
Julian Chokkattu
Don’t Buy an Android Phone Until You Read Our Guide
Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.
Julian Chokkattu
Introducing the WIRED App
The app is the best way to read, watch, and listen to WIRED’s journalism.
WIRED Staff
Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works
A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days.
Dhruv Mehrotra
The EU Plans to Ban Social Media For Under-13s
The bloc wants to curb Big Tech’s grip on children with its new EU KIDS ACTS, but age checks, parental oversight, and privacy concerns could make its plan difficult to implement.
Isabella Ward
I Made Robot Vacuums Clean Up Cherry Juice and Cheerios. These Won
My hands-on tests reveal which models can scrub stains, reach difficult corners, and navigate a chaotic home.
Nena Farrell
How Self-Driving Cars Might Change Crash Testing Forever
Lie down in a car, and you’re more likely to get seriously hurt in a crash. But a driverless future is forcing governments to revisit long-standing safety issues.
Aarian Marshall
Boox Just Announced the Palma 3 E-Reader
The e-paper device maker also launched two new color digital notebooks last night, the Note Air6 C and Mini C.
Nena Farrell
China Isn’t Buying Silicon Valley’s Call for an AI Slowdown
The US and China agree that advanced AI poses serious risks. But Beijing is deeply skeptical of a deal that prioritizes keeping US companies ahead.
Louise Matsakis
Why It Seems Like Great White Sharks Are Overrunning Maine
While a bunch of sharks cruising the Maine coast may seem ominous, it’s actually a sign of a conservation success story.
Molly Taft
Polymarket’s Next Bet? It Can Also Be a Media Company
The legal battle over whether prediction markets are a form of gambling has overshadowed something else entirely: They’re already a new form of media.
Kate Knibbs