Accession No

6553

Brief Description

electro-shock therapy machine, “Magneto-Electric Machine”, English, late 19th Century

Origin

England

Maker

Class

medical; elecrical

Earliest Date

1848

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

wood (pine?); metal (brass, steel/iron); cloth (velvet); paint; paper; leather

Dimensions

[When closed]: 245mm (x 110mm x 95mm (depth)

Special Collection

Provenance

Donated by an individual on or before 04/05/2011.

Inscription

[Inside box lid] “MAGNETO-ELECTRIC MACHINE
FOR NERVOUS & OTHER DISEASES
This machine has been designed expressly for the use of the Medical Profession and for Invalids who are unable to take exercise, suffering from rheumatism and various nervous complaints.

Description Notes

Electro-shock therapy machine, “Magneto-Electric Machine”, English, late 19th century.

“Magneto-Electric Machine”, designed to function inside its pine(?) box. Detachable brass handles with wire string ends can be plugged into knobs on the exterior left and right sides of the box and are designed to be held by the patient whilst crank shaft is turned. This drives a belt spinning two metal disks against a magnet, generating electricity, which would subsequently administer electric shocks to the patient. Small knob at back right of box can be pulled back, affecting the magnet. Leather drive belt is broken (but included) and thus the machine no longer works. Label on interior of lid specifies that the machine was designed for those ‘unable to take exercise, suffering from rheumatism and various nervous complaints’. The box seals with a hook, and crank shaft can be removed so that all parts can be stored on the interior of the box when it is not in use. In good working condition apart from the drive belt, and there is some fraying to the conduction wire thread leading to the handles. Handles are very discoloured, metal fixed in box is also discoloured. Box lid shows some cracks at joins, and there is a small hole in back where screw may be missing but otherwise box is in good condition too.

Condition: good/fair; complete.

References

Events