Violet Rays

Good thing they clarified that this was NOT a vibrator. Otherwise someone might have gotten hurt.

Source: Illustrated World, March 1920.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Wed Mar 18, 2015
Category: Medicine | 1920s

Comments

I remember seeing one of these at an antique store in working order many years ago. The owner was giving a demonstration and it looked really cool with the light show and the loud buzzing sounds. My father would not allow me to buy it, giving some vague excuse about it could be "dangerous". I see that is turns out to be a quack medical device.

Posted by KDP on 03/18/15 at 10:29 AM

I like the bit about restoring worn out cells.

The mother of a friend of mine had "violet lights" inside the back door "to kill germs before they got loose in the house".

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 03/18/15 at 11:02 AM

Methinks someone may have gotten hurt if they tried to use it to cure constipation or a sore throat.

Posted by RobK on 03/18/15 at 11:42 AM

Where is the post about the antique prostate warmer ?? Expat needs one 😕

Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 03/18/15 at 08:35 PM

Bet there was off label use going on!

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 03/18/15 at 09:57 PM

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