Accession No

4406

Brief Description

magneto-electric machine; late 19th century

Origin

Maker

Class

medical

Earliest Date

1850

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

cloth (velvet); wood; metal (other, gold)

Dimensions

length 230mm; breadth 170mm; height 115mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Donated by C. Thorne, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, in 1993. Original owner was J. Atkins, St. Catherine’s College, Cambridge (c. 1929-1933). He lived at Goring-on-Sea.

Inscription

‘IMPROVED
PATENT MAGNETO-ELECTRIC MACHINE
FOR NERVOUS DISEASES’ (on label in lid)

Description Notes

Box containing apparatus for directing a current of electricity through a person as a treatment for nervous diseases. Apparatus includes a large magnet and 2 velvet-covered wooden cylinders which are turned by a wheel connected to a handle on the outside of the box. 2 connections are on either end of the box for attaching metallic cords or wires which are then attached to the person. The handle is shaped like a gold laquered dolphin. The box can be locked and has 2 keys.

Condition: fine; complete.

References

Events