Duchenne Medical Induction Machine, made by Charriere, Paris, French, 1849

This machine was used in electrotherapy to treat a wide range of disorders connected to the nervous system. The machine was invented in 1848 by Guilluame B A Duchenne (1809-1875), a French physician and neurologist who is considered the ‘father of electrotherapy’. He developed a machine with cloth covered electrodes, applying what he called ‘localised electrization’ to the muscles. He used an induction coil in his machine to produce the electricity. Electricity was used to treat paralysis and rheumatism in an effort to help patients regain muscle function.