The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-04
ELECTRIC REMEDY.
That Wicked Theft.

From HalFs journal OF Health, April, 1861
Just as we go to press we receive copy Of
the Cincinnati DAILY STAR, containing an ad-
vertisement which covers precisely half page
Of that paper, and which emanates from the
~ oita Belt Company" Of Cincinnati. 1t APP
pears that the volta Belt Company is trou-
bled because in our issue for January, 1876, we
characterized their shameless distortion of an
editorial which we wrote In our number for
April, 1875, as "A Wicked Theft" aud that
they now seek to escape the penalty
always attaching to unfair conduct, by de-
crying the standing and influence of the JOUR-
NAL OF HEALTH. We do not care to allude to
this Belt Company again, having already
stated in substance that we were compelled to
look with suspicion upon concern which
could so far subvert our meaning by the omis-
sion Of important words when claiming to
quote our language, as to make us appear to
be bearing testimony to the value of the appli-
ances which they manufacture. 1t matters
very little what opinion these belt persons may
hold Of the JOURNAL; it is Of great Importance
to all right-minded men that our utterances
should not be wrested from their plain intent,
and made to seemingly foster and sustain that
to us utterly unknown quantity, the Volta Belt
Company Of Cincinnati.
The trouble appears to be that when We
discussed the subject of electrical action and
its application to diseased conditions, in our
April, 1915, issue, we spoke some commepda-
tory words Of the appliances made by Mr.. j,
seIbert, of this city. These belts, and bands,
and shoe-soles we had used in several cases,
and from their use excellent results had fol-
1nIVp1 No hnIiaua war dnio
real service in explaining the uses and ad-
vantages of these simple and inexpensive in
struments, at q time when, as never before,
the minds of the medical profession are active
ly engaged in discussing the value of the vari-
Ous methods of inducing tho electrical phe-
nomena, and employing the power Of this
subtle and mysterious agent in the healing
processes. We have examined scores of
electrical disks ana chains and belts from
Pulvermacher's down, and we are bound to de-
clare that the same principle is involved in all
of them. To claim that the chain of Pulver-
macher embodies any principle or exhibits any
power which SieDerts goods do not is the
sneerest folly. In this view we are abundantly
sustained by many medical writers. That able
medical publication, the New York Physician
and Pharmacist" in its issue of November
last, speaks as follows: "rhe Pulvermacheg>
chain, which has received the dis .inguisRel
appreciation Of Sir Charles Locock and Other
European scientists, is la gely uSe1 in En-
gland, and, as the Armadillo per orms the
same functions and presents tho same princi-
pies, only in more convenIeDJ form. the Q Is
no reason why 1T should no. attain the same,
celebrity here"
So far as we have examined and tested the
electric Appliances of many makers, we dis
cover no dlnerepSe in power or In results.
Selberts goods nave some advantages; they
OF very Convenient suaDp.. easily
plled aId coml ortably worn, and are quite
reasonable in price. We have seen good
| many sufferers from painful neuralgia attocA
| top, and distressing nervous disorders, who
az sert hat these articles of SelberFs-t0 which
J. ne has given the general name OF "Noltalc
| Armadillo'-have rendered signal and lasttug
service. Physicians innumcrabie nave enl-'
Iployed them and testify to their efficacy. They
are probably as good as anything of the kind
lean ,De, and will do all that ought TO be ex-
Ipected of such appliances.
| These Cincinnati belt people take great
pains, and occupy much space to show r,naSl
twhsn HALLS v1tsRNA- ~ eays Is good wo d for
SsibeiFs goods, it does 1t in spite of the ad-
verse opinions Of writers in the POPULAR
lSuIENCE MONTHLY, and the PHILADELPHIA
| MEDICAL AND SURGICAL REPORTER. This
might all be true, and yet we should not con
siier It our duty TO adopt the CONCLUSIONS ne
persons who have not, 1t may be, given the
Esabject as careful investigation as Il has re-
PofGIAa feI R. SCIENCE MoNTHIx A4o Of MareS S
iIS75, psge $50, an editorial al
Emission that the illusions to the Armadilloin in
a previous issue were made without any direct
know ledge of the appliance. This is. Of course.
: ntete retraction of any rrsvc..- -,
mon the Instruments. The article in 'thf
| IPhILkDELPHIAs MEDICAL AND SURGICAL Re-
PORTER was published in the absence of the
editor, who had never even seen the "Arna-
dillo" 1t was prepared by party In the in-
terest of rival house. This was the statement
of the editor Of the REPORTER to another editor
| in New York. OF course, loose statements thus
uttered will have little effect when weighed
with mature Judgment, based upon Thought
| full intelligent and long continued investiga-
ton. rf I'd 1t
But this unhappiness on the part of the Gin
! ciHnati ha't s-. s-G -
oox,, - I-.s s,eesouages rs matter of no con-
t oeth 70 the public. Suffering humanity oniv
ASKS Wfiat 1t shall do to be saved from avoi,i.
able pSs;aa; and it is very likely to accent The
answer which may be vOuchsafed by the rid
and reputable. We utter no 'spuffs3, the Ian
guage OF fattery is q dead tongue to M. We
try to speak the TRUTH let it help or harm Who
ever it wilL And with the simnIa
thought uppermost in our minds that Mr.. sal
bert and his goods have been unjustly ar.
tackled. and that what we were impefIed 70 say
in their behalf has been employed after dis.
tortion, to give credence and popularity 10 a
device ~ which we Know nothing we arc I'M
relicd to say that we have found the Yoitaje
Armadlllo avalpable appliance in those csses
IN which CONTINUOUS ufectricai current has