The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-17
voLTAIC ARMADILLo.
That Wicked Theft.

rEVm udlfb JOurnal OF d9alths April, lo16.l
just as we go TO press we receive a copy Of
| the Cincinnati DAILY STAR, containing an ad-
vertisement which covers precisely half a page
Of that paper, and which emanates from the
"Volta Belt Company" of Cincinnati. It ap-
pears that the "Volta Belt Company" is trou-
bled because in our issue for January, 1870, wo
characterized their shameless distortion of an
editorial which we wrote in our number for
April, 1875, as "a Wicked Theft" and 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 50 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 rlght-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, 1875, issue, we spoke some commenda.
tory words Of the appliances made by Mr.. e. J.
Sebert, Of this city. These belts, and bands,
and shoe-soles we had used In several cases,
and from their use excellent results had fol.
lowed. We believe we were doing our readers
a real service in explaining the uses and ad-
vantages Of these simple and inexpensive in
struments, at o time when, as never before,
tho minds Of tho medical profession are active
ly engaged in discussing the value OF the vari-
GUS methods Of inducing the 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 PuIver-
macher embodies any principle or exhibits an y |
power which Siebert's goods do not, is the |
sheerest 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: "Tbe Pulvermachef /
appreciation of Sir Charles Locock and other
European scientists, is largely used in En-
gland, and, as the Armadillof performs the
same functions and presents the same princi-
pies, only in more convenient form, there is
no reason why it should not attain the same |
celebrity here"
So far as we have examined and tested the |
electric appliances Of many makers, we dis |
mn a In
Seiberts goods have some advantages: they
are Of very convenient shape, are easily an. |
piled and comfortably worn, and are quite |
reasonable in price We have seen good |
many sufferers from painful neuralgic affec- |
tions and distressing nervous disorders who
assert that these articles of SclberIs-to hich
he has given the general name OF "Voltaic
Armadillo,'-havo rendered signal and lasting /
ployed them and testify to their efficacy. They
are probably as good as anything of the Kind |
can be, and will do all that ought to be ex
pected Of such appliances.
pains, and occupy much space to show that |
when HALLS JOURNAL says a good we'd for
Seibert's goods, it does 1t in spite OF the adj
verse opinions Of writer's In the POPULAR
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL REPORTER. This
might all be true, and yet we should not CON
slider it our duty to adopt the conclusions of |
persons who have mot, u may be, given the
ceiyed at our hands. Wo find in the
POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY OF March
1875, page 689, an editorial ad-
mission that the allusions to the Armadillo in
of The appliance. This Is. Of course.
upon tho Instruments. fhe article in the
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL RE-
editor, who had never even seen the ..Arma.
dillo,u 1t was. prepared by party u the in