During the late 1800s massage was considered effective for combating illnesses and diseases. The VeeDee massager, popular at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries claimed to be beneficial for all kinds of illnesses and complaints, including colds, digestive complaints, rheumatism, headaches, female hysteria, tumours and lung diseases. An instrument made of wood, silver and steel with a handle for turning, an end disc for massaging and a two-pronged attachment, one with a bowl containing a stiff leather ball (partly cut away). VeeDee Pat. B 100010 1 ….. 2 ……. 3 ……. warrnambool, health, medicine, massage instrument, veedee vibratory massager

In the early 20th century there were many small machines and instruments developed to use as home cures. These included massage and vibratory instruments and those taking advantage of the growing use of electric currents in the treatment of nervous and mental health issues. This machine was used to produce a electric current to use on the human body to alleviate ailments that included nervous conditions, neuralgia, lumbago, back ache, muscle soreness and even toothache. Developments in allied health treatment saw the waning of the popularity of these kinds of medical aids by the mid 20th century.This machine is of great interest as an example of the items used by people in the late 19th and early 20th century as home cures for all sorts of ailments that afflicted people at the time.This is rectangular wooden box with a lid connected with metal hinges. The inside of the lid has a paper insert with printed material on it. The box has a metal mechanism inside and this includes a metal magnet, a pulley with a rubber belt and two round metal drums covered in dark blue felt. On the outside of the box is a metal handle that is connected to the mechanism inside. There is a metal closing catch on the outside of the box. There are also two wires on the outside of the box with one of these connected to the inside mechanism. The wires have hollow brass cylinders attached to the ends. The box is heavily stained and scuffed.‘Magneto Electric Machine for Nervous & Other Diseases’allied health in early 20th century, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This medical aid was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used as a massaging and vibratory tool and was recommended for the relief of all sorts of complaints, including colds, digestive complaints, rheumatism, headaches, female hysteria, tumours, lung diseases and even ‘double’ chins.This massager is of considerable interest as a medical aid that was popularly used to treat many kinds of ailments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is indicative of the popularity at that time of vibratory or massaging objects that were used to aid in the relief of many ailments for which there were few other remedies at the time.This is a medical instrument with a metal shaft in three sections and a circular piece of metal at the end. The metal piece has a turning handle at one end and a cross metal piece at the other end. This cross piece has a metal cup with a covering piece of stiff rubber at one end and a circular piece of rubber at the other end. At one end of the metal shaft is a wooden handle. Some of the metal is rusted and the rubber ball has been split.‘Vee Dee Patent No….’ ‘1…2…3…’ ‘J. E. Garratt, London 124 Southwark Street S.E.’ antiquarian medical aids, history of warrnambool

Item found at Enid Walls estateHand held wooden-handled metal object. Object movement/use is similar to an egg beater. Has a rubber ball bevelled into metal base which is attached onto the side with a slender metal arm.Stamp on object proper left "PAT.B 99365". Object proper right middle metal part has hand written inscription of a name which appears to be "Harvey". Top metal disk has the inscription "VEEDEE"/The Veedee Co./96 Southwark Street/London.Smedical instruments, personal massager/vibrators, enid wall