History Affairs

Healing with Colorful Lights: Ancient Remedies

Between the 1920s and the 1960s, a huge number of folks turned to a device called Spectro-Chrome for help with all sorts of health issues

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Back in the early 1900s, Americans were really into the amazing things science and medicine could do. But honestly, understanding how they worked or getting involved was pretty tough for most people. According to historian Matthew Lavine, this curiosity led many to think they could heal themselves and others using a light-emitting gadget called the Spectro-Chrome.

Lavine explains that the man behind the Spectro-Chrome, Dinshah Ghadiali, was born in 1873 to a Persian family in Bombay. After he studied math, science, and medicine in India, Dinshah made his way to the US in 1896 to give some public talks. People were super interested in x-rays at that time, so he focused on those in his lectures. He claimed these rays were just “the astral light on the physical plane.” Over time, his talks also covered topics like animal magnetism, hypnotism, and ether.

In 1920, Dinshah launched the Spectro-Chrome, which was basically a metal box that housed a powerful 1,000-watt bulb with different colored glass filters. He said that each chemical element resonated with specific light frequencies. So when someone’s body chemistry went off-kilter, shining a certain color light could bring it back to equilibrium. For instance, orange light was said to boost breathing and thyroid function, while magenta wavelengths could spark feelings of love and wellness.

For many, it wasn’t just about fixing health problems; they were excited to be part of something scientific. Over the years, around 10,000 people across the US completed ten-day training sessions—or later, correspondence courses—and became certified members of Dinshah’s Spectro-Chrome Institute. They began treating themselves, their friends, family, and even clients. The cool factor for a lot of them was more than just health—being part of a scientific project was a big draw.

A lot of the practitioners were working-class individuals, and many were women. Lavine notes that they saw this work as a chance not only to benefit from scientific healing but also to contribute to it through their own practice and research. One group of graduates from a Cleveland class in 1933 even called it “a university education compressed into a short two weeks.”

During local meet-ups, Spectro-Chrome users shared stories about patients they treated and dug deeper into the technique. Like true scientists, they appreciated the skills of their peers in using the device, paying close attention to detail, and honing their observational skills.

In fact, Lavine mentions that Dinshah believed the problem with traditional medicine was that it wasn’t scientific enough—it was too complicated and focused on what was taught in schools instead of hands-on experience and observation.

The downfall of Spectro-Chrome started in 1946 when a federal court in Brooklyn put Dinshah on probation for five years and ordered the devices to be seized. However, this didn’t completely wipe out the Spectro-Chrome business. Some who were trained kept using the devices, and Dinshah maintained a strong grip on the operation until he passed away in 1966.

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