Name/Title
Medical Apparatus, BoxEntry/Object ID
2002.004.001 a-cDescription
Black wooden box (a) with two glass attachments (b-c), used for gout or arthiritis inflammation. The attachments fit into a handle made of Bakelite (an early plastic) which is, in turn, attached to an electrical cord. There are two buttons which control the speed of vibration, in working order. Marked "Soltan De Luxe Three" and "Made in England".
Violet Ray devices such as this one which used a Tesla coil (electrical transformer developed by Nikola Tesla in 1891) were designed initially to treat patients of some skin conditions and relief of minor pain. These devices, however, were later marketed for consumers' at-home use often as cures for nearly any ailment. They fell out of medicinal use by the 1950s though have been repurposed since for erotic uses. When in use, the device creates a violet-coloured glow and a visible electrical spark that jumps to the user's skin when held at a close distance (~3in). Historical overview of violet ray devices: "The Electrical Purple Snake-Oil Machine", Allison Marsh, Sept. 30 2022, IEEE Spectrum, web, https://spectrum.ieee.org/violet-ray/particle-1; "Misconceptions of the Violet Ray", Jeff Behary, January 2006, Telsa Universe, web, https://teslauniverse.com/nikola-tesla/articles/misconceptions-violet-ray (Jessica P., 2025-06-15)Acquisition
Source (if not Accessioned)
Hitch, PatriciaNotes
Accession Date: 13-Mar-02
Mode of Acquisition: giftLexicon
Legacy Lexicon
Object Name
apparatus, box, medical apparatus, boxCreated By
Jones, IsabelCreate Date
June 5, 2002Updated By
Michael GoodchildUpdate Date
April 25, 2026