As mentioned in a previous article, I found a wonderful pamphlet titled “Life & Work” with the sub-heading “Ardrossan New Parish Church” which had been hidden beneath the floorboards of the Barony St. John Church since 1893. (The church was known as Ardrossan New Parish Church until 1929 when it became Barony Church then when, in 1987, the local St. John’s Church closed, their parishioners joined Barony Church and the church’s name changed once again to the Barony St.John.)

I’ve told you about a few of the Victorian advertisements I found in the past but this advertisement taken from the pamphlet is so good (in a weird and wonderful kinda way) that it deserved its own article; Dr. Richardson’s Magneto Galvanic Battery

It’s advertising an electro-therapeutic medical medallion, based on the 1880 patented design of Edward P. Caldwell.

The medallion came in two designs, a heart shaped centre which seemed to be favoured by women and a cross shaped centre which seemed to be favoured by men. They were sold by A.M. Richardson & Co. through local agents in 1883 and according to the advertising leaflet, which was published in 1893, they had sold over three million battery medallions over the previous 10 years.

The blurb claims that the battery was “scientifically tested and guaranteed genuine” and gave “renewed life and energy” by “purifying the blood and improving the circulation striking at once at weak and nervous debility”.

The centre pages of the advert has the headline “The blood is the life, but electricity is the life of the blood” and it appears the amount of medical conditions it cured were almost endless;

“Brings happiness and freedom after nauseas medicines fail. Relieves Neuralgia, Rheumatism, Pain in the Back, Nervousness, Chest Colds, Indigestion. Gives strength and vitality to the Nerve forces, uniform and healthy circulation to the blood.”

“....develop agreeable, curative currents throughout the body, the intensity of the currents being demonstrable by galvanometer. The Batteries are excited through mere contact with the body by the moisture of the skin, aided by the natural body heat.

Immediate relief is afforded in all cases of impaired or impeded Nerve action, as in Bronchitis, Rheumatism and Neuralgia, and in all cases of sluggish and dormant Organic action, as in general Debility, Biliousness and Constipation.”

It also has many testimonials claiming that it helped “Loss of Appetite, Kidney Complaints, Liver Complaints, Lumbago, A Weak Chest, Quinsy and Dizziness, Depression and Nervousness”.

Basically, this magneto-galvanic battery pendant claimed to cure almost everything.

I’ve searched the internet and cannot find any information as to when these products went out of production or if any cases of false claims were made against Dr. Richardson or his company (you may remember in a previous article I told you about Cornelius Bennett Harness and his Electropathic Belts who was sued for “gross misrepresentation”). If any readers know anything more about Dr. Richardson and his Magneto Galvanic Battery, please let me know.

If you liked this article, you may be interested in reading more ‘behind the scenes’ news about our discoveries and the renovation work in the Barony St. John buildings.

Check out my blog at www.ardrossman.wordpress.com or if you would like to volunteer to help us, help us fundraise to save the church buildings or simply know more about our charity, please contact us via our website www.ScotCPS.org.uk or look us up (ScotCPS) on Facebook or Twitter.

Goodbye for now.