Faradic Instruments

© Brooke Clarke 2007


Voltamp Faradic Medical Instrument (Quack)
Voltamp Faradic Medical Instrument (Quack)
Fig 1Voltamp output at top, battery on right
Fig 2 Bottom showing wiring and VOLTAMP at lower right
Voltamp No. 1 Lid Open
Voltamp Battery No. 1 bottom of board
Fig 3 Voltamp No. 1 Lid Open
Fig 4 No. 1 made to hold No. 6 Dry Cell
Voltamp No. 1 Set

Fig 5 Voltamp No. 1 Set



Background


Michael Faraday discovered a number of the aspects relating to electricity and magnetism, although Joseph Henry discovered how to make strong electromagnets.  One of the applications of Faraday's work is called Faradic and relates to using electricity in medicine to cure various problems.  This was popular from the late 1800s up to 1938 when the U.S. government determined it had no power to cure anything and regulated the advertising that was allowed.

Faraday has collected his papers on Electrical and Magnetic Research into three volumes for the Royal Society and wrote the preface to volume one is 1839 and volume 3 in 1855.  This series of papers is printed in volume 45 of the Great Books of the Western World by Mortimer Adler.  It turns out these are in my garage.

In his first experiment in 1831 he is using bare 1/20" diameter copper wire.  Sounds like the wire Henry used.  Insulated by separating with twine between turns and using calico cloth between layers.

There were a number of different ways electricity was applied to humans for medical purposes, now known as quack medicine, but at the time was mainstream medicine.

Voltamp

Voltamp (Wiki)must have made quite a number of the Faradic Medical Instruments since they show up a lot on eBay.   Sears & Roebuck Co. and Montrogmery Wards Co. carried these or another brand in their catalogs.  The common configuration is a wooden box that would hold 1, 2 or 3 No. 6 dry cells along with the induction coil and some wire leads with applicators for the body like metal cylinderes, plates or sponges.  The Voltamp product introduced in 1901 is called a "Portable Electric Battery".

This company made model trains from 1903 to 1922 then sold that product line to Boucher. 
The small electric motor patents probably relate to the toy train products?
There were a number of different models of the Voltamp Portable Electric Battery where the model were numbered from No. 1.

No. 0 ?

I call it No. 0 since it clearly predates the No. 1 below.  It does not have the brass or copper tube as part of the coil to regulate the secondary voltage so predates the 620027 Induction Coil patent issued, Feb 21,1899 (filed Dec 7, 1898.  It's more than just a breadboard but does not include a box.  The wiring method of using slots in the bottom of the board is identical to the No. 1 below (see Fig 2 and Fig 4 above)
There is a post anchored to the base board to hold the armature - spring - weight but in the No. 1 the post has been replaced by a bracket on the end of the coil.  That would allow testing the coil prior to mounting it on the top board.
Voltamp Faradic Medical Instrument (Quack)
Voltamp Faradic Medical Instrument (Quack)
Right terminals are for battery
Left terminals are for battery
VOLTAMP in lower right

This may have been a part of a boxed unit.  A recent eBay add for a "Unusual Early Wet Battery Galvano-Faradic Quack Machine" has this descriptive text:
A great, early, walnut case (7 3/4 X 8 1/4 X 6 inches wide closed), quack medical machine made by the Galvano Faradic Mfg Co of New York. It originally had a wet battery in the case, now missing, for its power. It has its 2 hand electrodes but is missing the wires. Still, few of these could have survived, the wet cell battery is easy to spill and the acid would have eventually destroyed the machine. There is a little minor staining on the bottom of the case (from the acid) otherwise what is left is in great condition.

This coil contains the Fuld (Voltamp) patented sliding sleeve to control the strength of the output.

There is a board about this size that can be removed from the box (along with the battery selector switch board of similar size) to allow access to the wet battery.

No. 1

The label mentions the following patents by date:
D29977 Design for a Current Regulator Case, , Manes E. Fuld, Jan 10, 1899, D13/125 ; D8/DIG.2 - for use with medical equipment
620027 Induction Coil, Manes E. Fuld, Feb 21,1899, 336/75 ; 336/196; 336/213; 336/219
627917 Dry Cell, Manes E. Fuld, June 27, 1899, 429/134 ; 429/171; 429/65
and shows a hand written serial number of 5375.

Included with this unit was a copy of "Electro-Medical Guide, formerly "Faradic Hints", ninth edition of 100,000.  This 48 page booklet features the No. 6 "Majestic" on the rear cover.  copyright 1916.

The top board and all the accessory electrodes have sockets that accept standard phone Tip pins.  The wooden handled electrodes and the top board have tapered holes and the metal plate has the socket formed by a stamping operation.

Testing with a 1.5 volt "F" cell it does not run, but with two series cells ( 3 volts) it runs well.  It may have been designed to run on a Voltamp brand 3 volt battery?  If you know please tell me.

10 May 2008 - When two series connected "D" cells are used and the vibrator screw adjusted for loudest sound the frequency is around 800 Hz and the duty cycle around 80%.  If the screw is backed out the frequency goes down along with the duty cycle.  Around 300 Hz the duty cycle is near 50%.  If at the 50% setting a 1.5 Volt battery is connected the vibrator does not self start, but if you flick the armature it will keep running.


No. 2

No. 3

No. 4

No. 5

No. 6 Voltamp Medical Battery No. 6 "Majestic"

If  you know what the large metal cylinder is please tell me.
Guess: the large shiny cylinder is a battery similar to the No. 6 except it has a rectangular metal post in the top center with a screw for making electrical connection.  You can see the screw and a slotted metal contact in the photo below.

Voltamp No. 6 Portable Electric Battery

No. 7

Voltamp No. 7 Portable Electric Battery

Except for the "No. 7" on the label, this looks identical to the No. 1.
If you know the difference please tell me.













No. 8

No. 9

No. 10

Voltamp No. 10 Portable Electric Battery

Patents by Manes E. Fuld (Voltamp Co.)

It appears that Manes E. Fuld came up with a number of novel inventions.  Don't know if he was the first to use a deep draw process in general, but probably in relation to making battery cans.

Medical
620027 Induction Coil, Manes E. Fuld, Feb 21,1899, 336/75 ; 336/196; 336/213; 336/219 - "medical coil" includes brass or copper tube used to regulate the secondary voltage.
677652 Portable Electric Battery, Manes E. Fuld, July 2, 1901, 607/65 ; 307/132R
D29977 Design for a Current-Regulator Case, , Manes E. Fuld, Jan 10, 1899, D13/125 ; D8/DIG.2 - for use with medical equipment.
612326 Electric Battery, , Manes E. Fuld, Oct 11, 1898, 429/99 - packaging No. 6 batteries

Small Electric Motors (Sold to a guy named Lionel)
837213 Electric Motor, Manes E. Fuld, Nov 27, 1906, 310/244 ; 310/46 - very similar in feel to the Toy Motor Kit.
840451 Commutator, Manes E. Fuld, Jan 1, 1907, 310/235 ; 29/597

Battery
612326 Electric Battery, M.E. Fuld, Oct 11, 1898, 429/99 - holding a number of dry cells for easy replacement
627917 Dry Cell, Manes E. Fuld, June 27, 1899, 429/134 ; 429/171; 429/65 - an alternate way of making a No. 6 dry cell
706340 Battery, WILLIAM L. PANIKOFF, Aug 5, 1902, 429/68 ; 429/113; 429/150
1439956 Battery Cell, Manes E. Fuld, Dec 26, 1922, 429/171 - Method of forming the Zinc for a No. 6 dry cell using a deep draw process.  Prior methods were using sheet metal and soldering the seam or a thin wall casting which at that time was not reliable.
627408 Packing Case for Electric Cells, Manes E. Fuld, Jun 20, 1899, 429/96 ; 324/158.1 - easy to replace each cell
960222 Electric Battery Cell, Manes E. Fuld, - replaces No. 6 dry cell screw thread and thumbnuts with bolts to allow use for mounting to board

Headlight
852265 Headlight, Manes E. Fuld, April 39, 1907, 362/308 -  for use by doctors. Light with lens at center of forehead and light not in doctor's eyes.

General Patents

Class Numbers

5 Beds
43 FISHING, TRAPPING, AND VERMIN DESTROYING
54 HARNESS FOR WORKING ANIMAL
213 RAILWAY DRAFT APPLIANCES
310 ELECTRICAL GENERATOR OR MOTOR STRUCTURE
361 ELECTRICITY: ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND DEVICES
429 CHEMISTRY: ELECTRICAL CURRENT PRODUCING APPARATUS, PRODUCT, AND PROCESS
607 SURGERY: LIGHT, THERMAL, AND ELECTRICAL APPLICATION

Induction (Ruhmkorff) Coils

23272 607/115
52054  The induction-coil, instead of being made movable upon the magnet
72616  This compound coil is made like any ordinary induction-coil
74905  The inner end of the induction-coil are surrounded by the prime coil
76654  Improvement in Induction Coil Apparatus and Circuit Breakers, Charles Grafton Page, Oct 10, 1871, 361/268 ; 335/91; 336/150; 336/234; 336/65
    The induction-coil consists of a metallic conductor, copper is generally preferred
    RE4588 Improvement in Induction Coil Apparatus and Circuit Breakers, Priscilla Webster Page (WU Telegraph Co),
78495  Energizing the primary wire of the induction-coil, the iron core becomes magnetized
90626  Making use of an induction-coil
99414
115518 607/115
116110 607/115
116695 607/115
125078 607/115
129752 607/115
171934 607/115
175111 607/115
246037 607/115
263700 Electro-Medical Induction Coil
297924 Apparatus for the Production and Utilization of Secondary Electric Currents
320547 Medical Battery, Otto Fleming, Jun 23, 1885, 429/68 ; 429/150; 429/97; 607/65; 607/66
326270 Induction Coil
330531 Medical Induction Coil
332559 Induction Coil
342553 Induction Coil
352084 Induction Coil
350130 Induction Coil
352105 Induction Coil
363304 Pocket Battery 213/101
372168 Coin Operated Induction Coil
372441 Coin Operated Induction Coil
373088 Therapeutic Battery 54/51
374495 Coin Operated Induction Coil
385927 Coin Operated Induction Coil
395932 Medical Battery 43/18.1R
399591 Coin Operated Induction Coil
414266 Induction Coil
414626 Induction Coil
415345 Electro-Medical Battery 152/33 ; 152/1; 152/96; 301/104; 301/105.1; 301/108.5; 301/67; 301/95.107
416762 Induction Coil
419731 Portable Faradic Battery 429/164
429447 Medical Battery 192/73
432050 Induction Coil or Transformer
446730 Induction Coil
456746 Medical Induction Coil
463945 Therapeutic Electric Battery 5/617
464677 Electrical Transformer
524636 Induction Coil
535917 Induction Coil
RE10949 Coin Operated Induction Coil
548126 Electrical illumination
575772 Roengton Ray Tube
586622 Induction Coil
605174 Induction Coil
617067 Helix for Electrical Device
620027 Induction Coil
647687 Electrotherapeudic Device 607/1 ; 422/186.15
684326 Induction Coil for Medical Apparatus
733343  UV Rays
733948 Magneto Electric Machine
734197  a split-coil improvement (1903)
750039
751411 System of Lighting by Gas or Vapor Electric Lamps
763510 Magneto Electric Generator
796114 ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS
796851  RE12805 Ruhmkorff Coil  335/197  reissue chenged to 361/268 ; 200/250
803180 MEANS FOR PRODUCING HIGH POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES
802373 Magneto Dynamo Electric Machine
861783 Interrupter for Electric Circuits
863955
956168 System of Lighting by Gar or Vapor Electric Lamps
959166 Magneto Electric Generator
1003634 Induction Coil
1092417  Induction coil comprising a soft iron core (Mar 5, 1913)  
1118004
1547180 Electric Lamp
1723261 Coil and Method of Winding Same

Generators

155376 Magneto-Electric Machines, O. Heikel, Sep 29 1874, 310/75B ; 310/154.49; 310/191; 310/70R - 4 pole generator
180082  Magneto-Electric Machines, Eward Weston, Jul 18, 1876, 310/46 - generator
RE8141 Magneto-Electric Machines, Eward Weston, Mar 26 1878, 310/46 -
189997 Magneto-Electric Machines,C.F. Brush, Apr 24 1877, 310/40R 310/268 310/46 -

Interesting Faradic Instrument

The seller responded to my email with a link to:
http://www.thebakken.org/artifacts/database/artifact.asp?type=category&category=C&id=752
Which shows the same machine.

7 Oct 2007 - eBay.UK has a "THE TONISATOR - CLOCKWORK ELECTRIC SHOCK QUACK MACHINE" offered by lectrolove.
which is a currently made Faradic Quack medical instrument.  Things observed from the photos:

Links

Spark Museum - Induction Coils - Quack Medical Apparatus -

Bob Grove's - Dr. Bob's Medical Quackery -

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