Description: From a more cringeworthy corner of the history of medical quackery comes the Lebenswecker or "Life Awakener," also known as the Resuscitator, invented by Carl Baunscheidt in 1849. According to Baunscheidt, the Lebenswecker was designed to quickly puncture the skin, creating ?artificial pores.? The puncture wounds were then covered with a proprietary irritating oil called ?Oleum Baunscheidtii? that produced blisters. As the blisters formed and drained, Baunscheidt claimed, the ?health-destroying morbid matter? in the body naturally escaped. Measures about 9-1/4" long. Please note: Blackwell Auctions recommends against using this instrument for any purpose beyond looking at it and wincing. Some information copied from article from UCSF -- https://blogs.library.ucsf.edu/broughttolight/2016/07/07/baunscheidts-lebenswecker-the-19th-century-life-awakener/.