Early Curl Machine from Eastern Europe?

[Badman]

Hey Rip, thought you might like this. I was holidaying around Europe this summer and saw this in a book in a museum in Romania. Looked to me like those Eastern Europeans had Nautilus before Nautilus did. It would be great if someone on here could translate, but the chapter heading "Mechanotherapie" seems to correspond to what I dread the images are showing, even if it is just isolated stretching...

[Mark Rippetoe]

Was there a date on the book?

[Bodybeing]

You will have to translate this page from German Wikipedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_August_Ramdohr

But the image seems to show the same things. Dude had his own gym in Leipzig in 1892.

[Ian Kovtunovich]

Googling "mechanotherapy" came up with the following tidbit:

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemin.../2009/2631888/

There's an exercise bike-type contraption that looks similar to what's pictured above. This was from the early 1900s, apparently. The book looks pretty Victorian.

[stronger]

Yep, this is a picture manual that he published, is essentially translated: "Rehab Exercises Made Simple".

[Badman]

Was there a date on the book?

Afraid not, it was in a room with a collection of middle ages surgical equipment. I might see if I can find out.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Bone saws and guthooks and shit like that. Cool.

[Badman]

The stuff for women giving birth was scary.