PROFESSOR RICHARD.

Observer, Volume XIV, Issue 784, 13 January 1894, Page 20

PROFESSOR RICHARD.

A MODERN DON QUIXOTE.

ARMED WITH ELECTRICITY. (Sydney Morning Herald, April 3, 1893.) A great deal of interest and curiosity had been aroused in the doings of Professor Richard through the extensive advertisements given to his exhibitions by a section of the Melbourne press. It was, therefore, no wonder that every seat in the School of Arts was occupied on Saturday night. At eight o'clock the Professor made his appearance A strongly-built, but by no means large man, rather below than above the average height, and with a formidable head of hair of such distinctly electrical appearance as to somehow remind one of the old experiment we used to be recommended to try iv nursery days, about stroking sparks out of a black cat in a, dark cupboard. Most of us probably

refrained from fooling with the cat ; and it would probably be wise, perhaps, to let the Professor emit his own sparks. The audience had a surprise in store for it After a somewhat lengthy introductory address the Professor proceeded to business, and had as sympathetic an audience as he could possibly have desired, and he ought to feel truly thankful to it. A. young woman from Newton, recommended by a minister of that place, was the first patient. The clergyman stated that she had suffered for years from deafness, and had found no relief. Professor Kichard, after filling himself full of electricty, with apparently as little difficulty as an ordinary Sydneyite find 3in filling himself full of whisky, proceeded to distribute it about the patient's ears. In a very few minutes the deaf one gave evidence of hearing, and being placed at the opposite end of the stage from the healer, she correctly answered a number of questions, asked in an ordinary tone of voice. The audience thereupon became distinctly enthusiastic. Then an Ultimo woman, deaf for 30 years, was made to hear, and appeared to be distinctly pleased at the result obtained. A Presbyterian clergyman at Redfera sent a totally blind man for treatment. The man was led pn to the platform by his wife. Iq ten minutes he could distinguish a light when it was held before him, and he was able to state that the Professor's shirt was white, and his coat sleeve black. This, the man of electricity said, waH as good a result as he hoped to achieve in a first innings. Still more wonderful was the restoration of locomotive power to a partial paralytic from North Sydney, the bearer of a letter from a J.P. Boots and socks were removed, and trousers rolled up, l and after ten minutes' work by the Professor the erstwhile cripple moved his limbs vigorously, and discarding his crutoh, skipped from the platform like a two-year-

old. Another lame man, a sufferer from rheumatism, also left his sticks behind him, and walked away briskly, with joy writ large all over his countenance. The concluding portion of the entertainment ia of a less serious character, but it is extremely entertaining. A number of people have the temerity to appear on the platform on the Professor's invitation, and assist him to demonstrate that he is a bad mat? to fool with. At one time Professor Richard takeß - apparently as many volts of electricity through his body as would suffice to eleotrooute all the criminals in N.Y. State. In fact, it would seem that if the gifted gentleman resided there he might commit; all sorts of crimes without fear of capital punishment, so long at anyrate as the laws as to electric despatch obtain in that part of the world. SPECIALIST FOR BOTH SEXE 5 .— Paralysis, Rheumatism, Spinal Affections, Locomotorataxy, Hysteria, Loss of Speech, Eyesight, Deafness, Liver Torpidity, Dyspepsia, Cramp, Varicose Veins, Nervouß I Debility, Neuralgia, Constipation, Writers' Cramp, Exhaustion, Melancholia, Stomach Distention, Local Weakness, Sleeplessness, ' Impaired Vitality, Men suffering from the results of Indiscretions and Follies, etc NOTICE TO PATIENTS. — Professor Richards, M. bJ., protected by Government Royal Letters Patent of Australia, New Zaaland, etc. PROFESSOR RICHARD 'B MEDICAL ELBCTkIC CRA.IR AND ELECTRIC COIL, With full personal and printed instructions for use, may be obtained at his private consulting rooms. He has appointed no agents, and they can be bought only from him direct. Both the Chairs and tho Coils are manufactured in and imported from Europe, and are made from the most expensive electric material.

PROFESSOR RICHARD may be consulted FREE OF CHARGE from nine a.m. to eight p.m. in his private Consulting Rooms during his season here. Fees moderate for a course of private treatment. All cases treated in the private Consulting Rooms, no matter what the case may be, are in strict confidence, and the names of patients are never eriven a3 reference.