Posted by Farkel [Keflar] on October 30, 1999 at 10:08:57 {G0PnT/qYmkjc7.1TE24IvhKqcjatLo}:
The History Channel has a serious on scams and con-artists. While watching it last night they discussed a man by the name of Albert Abrams. Abrams was a medical doctor who became a millionaire with two inventions of his: the "Dynamizer" and the "Radioclast." These were Rube Goldberg-like contraptions which Abrams claimed could diagnose and cure all sorts of illnesses. He had thousands of satisfied patients.
When the show was talking about how popular his devices had become it showed a copy of the Golden Age Magazine (circa 1920) promoting it! I didn't record the show, and the shot of the Golden Age magazine was only on screen for a few seconds.
Abrams had all devices carefully wired so that they couldn't easily be opened. He claimed that if one tried to open up one of these devices, it would mess up their delicate "settings."
It was claimed that one of the two devices could analyze a drop of someone's blood and diagnose everything that was wrong with the person.
Some skeptical doctors sent him a sample of blood for diagnosis. Abrams said the blood sample showed the person had a number of diseases, including syphillis.
The drop of blood turned out to be from a chicken who had good moral values!
After Abrams died, someone opened up his devices and found wires, and lights. Nothing more.
Does anyone have information on which Golden Age(s) promoted this contraption? They would be around the years 1918-1921. Since the show never made mention of the term "Radio Biola," I think this must be a different device.
God's "Chosen Channel(tm)" fell for both scams. Lock, stock and barrel.
Farkel