Toby Dennett rummages through a pile of very odd belongings, humming to himself.
Dennett is one of those people who have a gravitational attraction to bizarre objects - it's not
so much that he actively collects them, but old and interesting things keep finding their way
to him. If you wanted to find a vintage baritone saxophone, you wouldn't have to look any
farther than the loft of his mill in East Alstead - he has two of them. A 50 gallon ornate
coffee urn? It's sitting in his kitchen. A Japanese pachinko machine? Not a problem.
This afternoon though, Dennett is looking for something REALLY unusual. After sifting
through a closet full of magazines, audio equipment and video tapes, he comes across what
he's looking for - a small black case. "I knew it was here," he says in a satisfied tone of
voice.
Dennett opens the case. Written on the inside cover, in antique gold letters, are the words,
"The Master VIOLET RAY - High Frequency." Just below, is the enigmatic qualifier,
"No. 9". Resting in the case, nestled in a silk wrapper is... well, .... um.... er... Well - at
any rate, there it is.
The Master Violet Ray #9 is hard to describe - it looks something like a cross between a
bicycle pump and a hand mixer. It is a green tube with a faux-marble finish that is pointed
at one end and has an electrical cord at the other. The end with the cord has a small dial
that looks as if it might control the power level of the devise.
So, what is it?
"It's a Violet Ray," says Dennett, unable to come up with a good explanation off the top of
his head. (NOBODY, including the original manufacturers, could find a simple
explanation of the Violet Ray #9. It defies easy description.) He thinks for another
moment then explains that The Master Electric Company of Chicago manufactured a series
of these devices in the late 1920's and early 30's as home health and beauty aids. The
violet ray devices were supposed to promote health in every system of human the human
body.
Uh-huh.
Dennett demonstrates. He takes a glass bulb that looks a little like a turkey-baster out of
the case and fits it into the hole at the pointed end of the tube. "This is more impressive in
low light," he says, drawing the shades. He turns around to plug it into an outlet. There is
a humming, vibrating sound like that of a barber's clipper. He turns around and holds up
the Violet Light #9 (The device is so odd and so impressive in its weird way, that it seems
disrespectful to call it by anything other than its full and proper name.)
From time to time in old books, particularly pulp science fiction novels, you'll come across
the word "coruscate". It's not a word that is used often any more, but it is particularly apt
for the Violet Light #9. According to Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, it
means, "to move quickly, glitter; to flash; to sparkle; to glitter." The Violet Light #9 is
doing it right now - it is coruscating like nobody's business, flashing and pulsing with a
throbbing band of vibrant purple light.
Dennett raises his hand and brings the glass bulb toward it. As it gets closer to his skin, the
tone of the sound it is making changes slightly. Dennett slowly brings it closer to his hand.
Suddenly, there is a crackling sound and an arc of bright purple light dances out and
touches Dennett's hand. He moves the wand around, just above the surface of his skin and
the electrical current moves across the palm of his hand, humming, crackling and
coruscating. "It doesn't hurt," Dennett says. "It just feels kind of funky. Want to try it?"
Um...ok.
Dennett brings the wand over. The feeling as it passes over your skin isn't EXACTLY like
electrical shock, but very close to it. It is a little like the "pins & needle" feeling of a foot
that's gone to sleep, but magnified a hundred-fold. Even after the Violet Ray #9 has been
turned off, the skin where it was not-quite-touching tingles for half an hour afterward - and
not in a good way.
Dennett hands over the owners manual. "All human ailments," the manual explains, "with
the exception of certain highly contagious and infectious diseases, can be traced to faulty
circulation and impure blood...[In unhealthy or sedentary people] instead of being driven to
every part of the body in its richest state, a portion of the blood collects in the internal areas
and becomes stagnant because of the impurities thrown off by the body. These impurities
are absorbed by the tissues and a condition of self poison results, as a consequence of
which the body begins to deteriorate, the digestive organs fail to function properly, the
internal organs become sluggish and weak and weaknesses develop which are peculiar to
men or women. This weakened condition of the blood and vital organs leaves the human
body easily susceptible to any disease to which it may become exposed." - In other words,
ill health is caused by bad blood.
Fortunately for us however, the manual goes on to explain, the miracles of modern science
(circa 1930) have found a way to combat this. Simply run the Violet Ray over any
afflicted portion of your body and it will stimulate blood-flow to that area and wash away
the toxins that have been causing you so much misery. The 30-odd page manual shows
photo after photo of scantily clad young women rubbing the wand (which oddly enough,
doesn't seem to be turned on) along various parts of their bodies, while the text goes on to
explain in detail how they are being healed. The manual goes on to describe more radical
uses for the Violet Ray, including holding it up to tired eyes.
Not surprisingly, these are
illustrated by drawings, rather than actual photos. One illustration points out that the
electrical current is "perfectly harmless - can be used for Baby". Even in the illustration,
the baby looks apprehensive. (Somehow, subjecting a collic-y infant to electrical shock
doesn't seem like that good an idea.)
The most frightening part of the manual however, is the catalog section where various glass
bulb attachments can be ordered to fit into any of the Violet Ray series (there were 15 of
the devices). Some of the more provocatively named attachments are: the Double Eye
Electrode, the Nasal Electrode and at least 4 electrodes that are impossible to read about
without wincing and crossing one's legs.
Not surprisingly, says Dennett, putting the device back in its case, the Violet Ray series was
never very successful.
