Name/Title
Williams' Twentieth Century BatteryEntry/Object ID
2018.24.1Description
The Faradic Battery, also commonly known as a “Battery Box”, was first patented in 1870 around the same time that dry cell batteries became available. A Faradic type current is a short duration (0.1 to 1.0 millisecond) pulse duration, interrupted direct current. An induction coil was used to boost battery voltage to elicit muscles contractions. These devices became popular during the industrial revolution of the late 19th century as a form of electrotherapeutic therapy to relive symptoms of “nervous exhaustion” from working excessive hours. This condition was first described by American physician George M. Beard in 1869 as “neurasthenia”. The electrical energy from this and other electrical quackery devices was purported to restore the body’s lost energy from over exertion. The Faradic Battery was also marketed to treat headaches, as well as back pain and muscle discomfort.
