Oxydonor: the unhappened miracle of Dr. Hercules Sanche (9 photos)

In an effort to earn more money, some characters do not disdain any means. Even dirty.





After all, wanting to maintain or improve their health, people are willing to pay even fabulous sums for such an opportunity.



So it was with this seemingly very promising and promising invention. Do you need quality medical care? We are ready to make money on this! This is what modern scammers do. A similar conclusion was made back in 1892 by Dr. Hercules Sanche, who developed the newest and greatest miracle cure for most diseases and ailments.





The creative guy called the wonderful device “Electrobelt”. It sounded like it was some serious electrical equipment. But it had nothing to do with electricity at all.

The thing was a metal cylinder with a diameter of three and a half inches. On one side of it ran a cord that led to a small disk. It could be attached to the ankle or wrist. There was nothing inside this incredible cylinder. Absolutely nothing. Emptiness, in contrast to the hopes of all those naive citizens who shelled out $10 to feel better.



Soon Sanche changed the name to Oxydonor, that is, “supplying oxygen.” Users were asked to place a metal cylinder in a bowl of cold water, attach the disk, relax and begin their recovery. Almighty oxygen will do the rest. True, the modernized and improved device has already risen in price to $35 (about $1,000 at today’s exchange rate).



Oxydonor promised mental and physical strength to everyone - from the "tired, weary mother and the overworked business man" to priests, teachers, lawyers, doctors and everyone else. However, the instructions noted that if you are close to death from an “organic disease,” then Oxydonor will not be able to help. That is, there was no promise of resurrection and salvation of the terminally ill. And as they say, thank you.



But if death has not yet knocked on your door, when you have been struggling with such ailments as rheumatism, intestinal disorders, indigestion, insomnia, typhus, asthma, fever, pneumonia, colds, blood diseases, “female complaints” or “private illnesses” , then Oxydonor was just the miracle you were looking for.

How did it work? Sanche claimed that his invention caused the entire body to absorb oxygen from the air through the pores thanks to the attraction it caused in the body, giving the blood a strong affinity for oxygen. He called this healing method with the charming word “diaduction” and declared that it was the most powerful healing force of nature.



Reviews tried to back up his miraculous claims. A certain Mrs. Ida Anderson, for example, wrote in August 1901: “I began using Oxydonor, which I bought from you on July 1, and in three weeks I was completely cured of dropsy, which lasted ten years. My feet and ankles were horribly swollen, I could barely stand and walk across the house. Since then I have been walking three kilometers at a time. I am happy to recommend this remedy to those who suffer from the disease.”

With the success of Sanche, many imitators appeared, eager for quick, easy money. He strongly warned clients to stay away from them, reminding them that only the original Oxydonor actually worked. In some cases, he even went to court.



In June 1904, Judge Smith McPherson dismissed Sanche's lawsuit against Dr. G. Walter Filloon for creating his own version of the oxygen-delivering device. McPherson said both of them were scamming gullible people out of money and therefore he had no cause of action.

The court simply did not understand how a wire tied to a person's ankle, with the other end dangling from a window into a tub of water, could have any effect on health.



The Post Office eventually removed Sanche from his position due to allegations of mail fraud. Postal officials worked with the Bureau of Standards to prove Oxydonor was a fake. In its report, the Bureau claimed that the device was "as inert as an empty tomato can with a string attached to it." Sanche's competitors suffered the same fate.

This illustrative example of medical quackery not only remained in history, but was distinguished by the fact that the inventor actually believed in the miraculous capabilities of his invention.