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High on a Devon cliff
overlooking a beautiful bay surrounded by an exotic subtropical garden
is Overbecks house, a quirky Edwardian building
that was home to an equally eccentric resident
Dr Otto Overbeck, research chemist inventor and collector
of the weird and wonderful.
The house still holds his collections, his interests ranging from taxidermy
to model ships.
Doctor Overbeck became famous for one of his inventions in 1925
when he was on the front page of the Daily Express and according to his letters,
practically every other newspaper in England and the colonies and abroad.
Orders for his invention came flooding in from customers all over the world.
So what have the eccentric scientist invented?
It consisted of metal cones, cylinders and knobs -
these are some of the ways in which is used.
It was called
The Rejuvenator!
It was an electro-medical device that Doctor Overbeck claimed
could cure all diseases
with the exception of malformation and germ diseases.
These pictures from his pamphlet show Overbeck's own rejuvenation
through using the machine.
He says of his own experience
"My age is 64 years but I feel more like a man of thirty."
There are also many testimonials from people who wrote to thank Doctor Overbeck.
For example -
"My hair has ceased to fall out and is gradually turning darker."
"it was white"
"as I am well on in my eighty-fifth year."
I'm sorry to inform viewers, especiallty those with receding hairlines
that the Overbecks Rejuvenator is no longer for sale
at this National Trust property
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