This image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Galvanic brooch, various metals, with head profile of a bald bearded man, by Z. Osselin, French, 1880-1920
The brooch is made from a number of different metals including brass, copper, lead and nickel-plated iron. The inscription translates from French as “Medical electro medal, purifies blood, cleanses bile, cures pains and rheumatism, health [is] all ruling”. It also carries the maker’s name, “E Osselin”.
The brooch was sold as a form of electrotherapeutic treatment, not dissimilar to the way copper bracelets are still used to relieve the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.
On display
Science Museum: Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries
If you are visiting to see this object, please contact us in advance to make sure that it will be on display.
Details
- Category:
- Therapeutics
- Object Number:
- A602789
- Materials:
- brass, complete, copper, iron (nickel plated), lead
- type:
- brooch
- taxonomy:
-
- furnishing and equipment
- costume
- jewellery
- pin - jewelry
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
Cite this page
Rights
We encourage the use and reuse of our collection data.
Data in the title, made, maker and details fields are released under Creative Commons Zero
Descriptions and all other text content are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence
Download
Download catalogue entry as json
Download 
manifest IIIF
Our records are constantly being enhanced and improved, but please note that we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information shown on this website.
