Elizabeth Jane Poorman French
Personal Information
Born: 1821
Died: 1900
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
Unknown
"None found"
— Elizabeth Jane Poorman French
Professional Life
Field of Study: Galvanic Medicine; spititualism
Institution/Corporation: None found
Degrees & Memberships: Member: Ladies Loyal Relief Organization
Awards & Achievements
Awards: None found
Achievements: invented electrotherapuetic devise & received a patent; 1873 published "A New Path in Electrical Therapeutics" which described how “electrical cranial diagnosis” could be used to cure a variety of diseases; founder of the Women's Praying band
she contended electrical currents were the medium for the spiritual world
maintained in 1833 a stroke of lightening killed her brother and sister and paralyzed one-half of her mother’s body; she then reportedly used “certain rude batteries” and “restored to life” her mother’s disabled side
during the last decade of her life last decade of her life she turned away from galvanic medicine and became a Christian Scientist
mentored Emma Harding (later professionally known as Dr. Emma Hardinge Britten) & together they opened free clinics in New York city & Philadelphia where poor women could receive electrical treatment for illnesses
was a strong advocate for temperance & in 1874 was installed as president of a Temperance Union Home for alcoholics in Philadelphia
fraudulently claimed to be a docyor &/or a professor during her life