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Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
From the collection of Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
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Equipment - Magneto Electric Machine

  • Wooden box containing a magnet with wires connected to metal handles, intended to provide a mild shock to the holder.

    Magneto Electric Machine

  • Image of label inside wooden box stating the equipment for "nervous and other diseases", with a series of directions for use.

    Magneto Electric Machine

  • Wooden box containing a magnet with wires connected to metal handles, intended to provide a mild shock to the holder.
  • Image of label inside wooden box stating the equipment for "nervous and other diseases", with a series of directions for use.

Historical information

Experimentation with electricity for medical purposes has its origins in the late 18th Century. Throughout the 19th Century it became more common, including as a proposed treatment for 'nervous' disorders. This device is a small, portable, 'at-home' device.

Physical description

Device for administering electric stimulation to patients. Consists of a wooden box containing a hand driven generator, with terminals for the attachment of electrodes that may be held by the patient or placed against the patient's skin. The directions for use include information about wetting the sponges and the patient's hands before cranking the machine to produce a small electric shock.

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