The upgrade was completely uneventful and a complete success. Lasse (my client) was impressed at how easily it was done, and how little complications arose.

The printer was a different story though, we just couldn’t get it to talk to the computer. I returned the next day bringing a laptop, and -long story short- came to the conclusion that it probably was a bogus cable. Off to the computer store, bought a new cable and presto – printer was detected by Ubuntu and installed in about five seconds.

But that’s not the point of this posting.

Lasse has a penchant for collecting old pseudo-medical equipment from the early part of the 20th century. Think weird medical gadgets from before the first world war and you’re spot on. These are some seriously weird gadgets, and I doubt they had any kind of medical benefits, but they’re fascinating to look at.

He showed me this one thing, I have no idea what it is, but I called it the zapper. It’s an electric transformer in a very pretty velvet-lined case. The transformer plugs into the wall, and into the transformer is a kind of plug. This plug accepts any of the glass doodads that you can see in the case.

These weird glass vials are apparently filled with an inert gas of some kind. When plugged into the socket, they light up, buzz rather violently and exhibit a number of different effects when held close to either the transformer or human skin. According to the manual these prongs and vials were used on the body for various vague medical benefits.

We both found it rather amusing, and it was quite obvious that it probably impressed the hell out of common people back before WW1. However, we both agreed that eventual medical benefits were quite probably completely placebo.

The thing made me quite nervous though. It hummed like a doomsday-device and depending on the plug in the socket it either shot sparks or buzzed and glowed rather ominously when you put it close to your skin. The air filled quickly with the smell of ozone. None the less it was quite fascinating and interesting.

I also filmed two short movies that I’ve youtubed here for your please. This way you’ll get a better idea of what this thing look and sound like.

I have no idea what the purpose of the plug in the top video is, but the one in the lower video was apparently supposed to be used for dentistry! It had a chamber at the top that according to the manual was supposed to be filled with some liquid and then you could stick it in the patients mouth and cure toothache and other ailments.

Now, I don’t know about you but I would NEVER put that thing in my mouth.