00 Oxypathor - 1912 "Medical" Device

A rare find from 1915,  the 00 Oxypathor device is a fantastic example of antique medical fraud.

Sold from 1911 - 1915 for the princely sum of $35 (the equivalent of just under $1,000 today), we can honestly say it works just as well now as it did the day it was produced (that is, not at all).

Described by its inventor as a "thermo diamagnetic instrument" it supposedly increased the body's absorption of oxygen.  Among other things, it claimed to cure diphtheria and blood disorders.

It supposedly worked by submersing the cylinder in cold water, then attaching a "treating plate" to both a wrist and ankle (using an elasticized belt). 

Fortunately for the public, the designer - E. L. Moses of Buffalo, NY -  was eventually jailed for mail fraud, putting a stop to this scam of desperate buyers.

Condition: good, some wear on wires and elastic belts.

Dimensions: Metal container - 3" in diameter, 7 1/2" tall.

 Weight - 916 grams