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An American galvanic pendant dating from around 1881. Galvanism is the therapeutic application of electric currents to the body, it was a popular branch of quack medicine throughout the nineteenth century and its use continued until the early 1900s. It takes its name from Italian physiologist, Luigi Galvani (1737-98) who discovered that electric currents could affect muscle activity in dissected animals. Also known as the Richardson's battery , this galvanic pendant was based on the principle that dissimilar metals cause small electrical current. The pendant would be worn around the neck and hung against the skin of the patient's chest. It was thought to 'cure' a range of neurological and rheumatic conditions by infusing the blood with electricity.

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