An Early 20th Century Roger's Vitalator Violet Ray High Frequency Electro-Medical Appliance

A Roger’s Vitalator violet ray high frequency electro-medical appliance of British manufacture, dating to the early 20th century. The device is contained within its original mahogany-stained wooden carrying case featuring a hinged lid and a blue velvet-lined interior. The internal control panel is constructed from a black textured composition material, fitted with two control knobs and a central brass identification plate. The engraved brass plate carries the text ROGER’S, VITALATOR, ELECTRO MEDICAL APPLIANCE, VIOLET RAY HIGH FREQUENCY, UNIVERSAL VOLTAGE, and BRITISH MANUFACTURE. The left-hand control knob is set against a white scale marked OFF, 100/120, and 200/250 VOLTS. The right-hand control knob features a numerical scale from 0 to 10 with the instructional text CONTINUE ONWARDS and WHEN POINTER REACHES HERE. A small paper label adhered to one glass component identifies the distributor as Ideal Home Electrical, 43 Gt Ormond St, London W.C. The set includes three glass vacuum electrodes: one Y-shaped electrode for the neck and throat, one bulbous electrode for general use, and one cylindrical tube containing an internal metal coil. The appliance is fitted with a blue-flecked, fabric-insulated electrical power cable.