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Dr. Scott's Electric Tooth Charmer: A Magnetized Teething Toy
Theodore P Croll1, Andrew I Spielman2, Ben Z Swanson
1Clinic Director, Cavity Busters Doylestown, Doylestown, PA Clinical Professor, Pediatric Dentistry Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine.
Journal of the History of Dentistry
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Dr. George Scott marketed fraudulent "electric" personal care devices in the late 19th century, exploiting public belief in healing magnetism. His magnetic toys and brushes ultimately failed as scientific understanding evolved.
Area of Science:
- History of Medicine
- Medical Devices
- History of Technology
Background:
- In the late 19th century, pseudoscientific beliefs regarding electricity and magnetism were prevalent.
- Dr. George Augustus Scott, a businessman without medical training, exploited these beliefs.
- He marketed a range of personal care devices claiming therapeutic benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the marketing and scientific validity of Dr. Scott's "electric" personal care devices.
- To understand the role of public fascination with electricity in the success of pseudoscientific medical products.
- To trace the rise and fall of Scott's fraudulent inventions.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of marketing materials and product designs.
- Examination of contemporary scientific understanding of electricity and magnetism.
- Case study of "Dr. Scott's Electric Tooth Charmer".
Main Results:
- Scott's products, including toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and a teething toy, were not genuinely electric but relied on static magnetism.
- Relentless advertising and global reach led to initial commercial success.
- The devices were eventually exposed as fraudulent as scientific understanding advanced.
Conclusions:
- Dr. Scott's success highlights the influence of popular beliefs on the adoption of pseudoscientific medical devices.
- The decline of his products reflects the waning public interest in static magnetism as a healing force.
- This case serves as a historical example of medical quackery and the importance of scientific literacy.
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