Toftness and Toftness-like Devices
Worthless gimmicks
Introduction
The Toftness Radiation Detector is a handheld instrument made of PVC pipe couplings and plastic lenses. It resembles a miniature drum with handles. Although it contains no electronic or chemical components it is claimed to detect low levels of electromagnetic radiation, stated to be at a frequency of 69.5 gigahertz, from the human body and focus it so that a chiropractor could detect conditions requiring treatment. [2]
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History of this "marvelous" device
The device, patented in 1971 by chiropractor Irwing N. Toftness, consists of a plastic cylinder containing a series of plastic lenses. This was an offspring of the Abram's radionic device, developed in the 1890's, that was conclusively exposed as fraudulent in 1923 and finally banned by the FDA in 1958. [1]
Well- how does the device really work?
No! By rubbing their fingers on the plastic plate that examiner causes a crackling sound similar to a Geiger counter. The type of sound produced depends on the composition of the lens or plate while the loudness depended on how hard the examiner rubbed his/her fingers. For example, rubbing glass makes a different sound than rubbing sand paper. [1]
In 1984, after winning a lengthy court battle initiated by the FDA, the Justice Department ordered chiropractors who still possessed a Toftness device to return it. The number of chiropractors still using the device is unclear, but 3.3% of American chiropractors who responded to a 1991 survey of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) said they used Toftness techniques. Subsequent NCBE surveys found that 1.8% of Australian chiropractors, 2.2% of Canadian chiropractors, and 2.9% of New Zealand chiropractors reported using Toftness techniques. [2]
Bottom line
The Toftness device and others like it are a scam and currently condemned by leading chiropractic organizations. This device, although used by some chiropractors, is not a chiropractic device. If you encounter a practitioner using this device do not use their services.
- "Abrams-like
Devices Are Toftness-like Devices and Rubbing Plates" @
http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/09/14/15.html
- "Toftness Radiation Detector" by George J. Magner, III @ http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Tests/toftness.html
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