General Information

Serial #

A288

Part Number

1

Total Parts

3

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

VINYL COVERED BELT HAS BRIGHT CHROME CONTROL PANEL.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

54.0 cm

Width

47.0 cm

Height

10.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Medical Technology

Category

Medical equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

THIS TYPE OF DEVICE MOST POPULAR LATE 1920S- EARLY 1930S.

Canada

MANUFACTURED FOR, AND PRESUMABLY DISTRIBUTED/SOLD BY, THERONOID OF CANADA, TORONTO ONT.

Function

CIRCULAR BELT SLIPPED AROUND BODY FOR SUPPOSED THERAPEUTIC USE. INTEN DED TO ALLEVIATE PAIN BY APPLICATION OF ELECTROMAGNETISM.

Technical

THERONOID INTRODUCED IN 1928 BY PHILIP ILSEY OF CLEVELAND: IT WAS A VIRTUAL COPY OF THE EARLIER "I-ON-A-CO" BODY COIL. NICKNAMED "THE MAGIC HORSE COLLAR", IT WAS WORN AROUND THE BODY, AND ONCE PLUGGED IN, WAS RECOMMENDED FOR USE 3 TO 5 TIMES DAILY, EACH TREATMENT LASTING FOR 10 MINUTES. IT WAS SAID TO CURE ALL ILLS. THE SMALL COIL (.2) WAS SIMPLY A PROP: WHEN HELD NEAR THE THERONOID, THE LAMP BULB WOULD LIGHT.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 Following info. appears on control box: 'THERONOID/110V. 60CY. 110W./H.E.P.C. - LA 2581/THE APPLIANCE IN SO FAR/AS ITS SAFETY AS AN ELEC-/TRICAL DEVICE IS CONCERNED/HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE/HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER/COMMISSION OF ONTARIO./THIS APPROVAL IN NO WAY/AFFECTS OR CONCERNS THE/THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF THE APPLIANCE'. 'A 288' stamped into side of belt control box..3 Following info. appears on box: 'THERONOID/THERAPEUTIC SOLENOID/MANUFACTURED [FOR]/THERONOID OF CANADA/STERLING TOWER BUILDING, TORONTO, CANADA/THE NEW WAY TO HEALTH', with illustration of belt in use.

Missing

NONE.

Finish

.1 BELT COVERED WITH BLACK VINYL; FITTED WITH CHROME CONTROL PANEL..2 BLACK VINYL COVERING ON COIL; SYNTHETIC COVERING ON LAMP BULB FITTING; GLASS BULB..3 CARDBOARD BOX IS LIGHT BROWN; BLUE TEXT AND ILLUSTRATION.

Decoration

.3 BOX FEATURES ILLUSTRATION OF FEMALE NURSE, WEARING THERONOID, WHILE SEATED IN AN OVERSIZED CHAIR.