E. Virgil Neal’s career started out with writing successful textbooks, but then took a turn into being a stage hypnotist and then a series of dicey mail-order businesses.

Research:
“Can’t Find E. Virgil Neal.” New York Times. January 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496816.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
“Claimed to Raise the Dead.” Kansas City Star. Jan. 13, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/653825670/?match=1&terms=%22Claimed%20to%20raise%20the%20dead%22
Conroy, Mary Schaeffer. “The Cosmetics Baron You’ve Never Heard Of: E. Virgil Neal and Tokalon.” Third Edition. Altus History Publishing. 2014.
“E. Virgil Neal Passes Away at Geneva June 30.” The Sedalia Democrat. July 3, 1949. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sedalia-democrat-e-virgil-neal-obit/185827307/
“False Advertising Chief ‘Stimulant’ in Nixated Iron.” New York Tribune. Dec. 16,1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894241833/?terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22
“Force of Life Charges Dismissed.” Buffalo News. April 24, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/329115069/
“FORCE OF LIFE'S WIND-UP.; E. Virgil Neal Still Missing, but Offices Are Being Dismantled.” New York Times. Jan. 17, 1906. https://www.nytimes.com/1906/01/17/archives/force-of-lifes-windup-e-virgil-neal-still-missing-but-offices-are.html
“Force of Lifers Sent Many Decoy Letters.” New York Times. February 7, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/02/07/101765677.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
“Here’s a Hyopnotic Bank.” New York Sun. March 3, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/207217198/?match=1&terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy
“How Force of Lifers Did a Rush Business.” New York Times. Jan. 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496815.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
“James R. O’Beirne.” Fordham University. Office of the President. https://www.fordham.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/about/hall-of-honor/james-r-obeirne/
“Jury Disagrees Cartilage Case.” Buffalo Courier Express. May 5, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/352806300/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22
“Medical Mail-order Frauds.” American Medical Association. 1915. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=Cyq6AAAAIAAJ&vq=neal&source=gbs_navlinks_s
“Medicine: From Sedalia.” Time Magazine. Dec. 25, 1933. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,746617-1,00.html
“A Message to the Sick.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Feb. 9, 1900. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135238292/?match=1&terms=vitaopathy
“Most Beautiful Woman in Paris.” The Times-Union. October 6, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1278623430/?match=6&terms=To-Kalon
Neal, E. Virgil and John H. Moore. “Modern Illustrative Banking.” American Book Company. 1904. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/modernillustrati00neal/modernillustrati00neal/
Neal, E. Virgil and C.T. Craig. “Modern Illustrative Bookkeeping.” American Book Company 1901. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/illustratimodern00nealrich/page/16/mode/2up
“Neal, of ‘Nuxated Iron’ Fame, Held on Fraud Charge.” Times-Transcript. April 15, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106273916/?match=1&terms=%22Neal%20of%20Nuxated%20Iron%22
“Neal Returns for Business.” Post-Standard. April 30, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1091107180/
Bennet, James. “Tokalon.” Cosmetics and Skin. Jan. 26, 2025. https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/tokalon.php
“Gigantic Swindle Probably Bared.” Nebraska City Weekly. Jan. 16, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/728074626
“In Force of Life Case.” Houston Post. Jan 13, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/94975109
“Nuxated Iron Sellers in Libel Suit.” The Times-Transcript. June 10, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106285753/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22
“Part I: The 1906 Food and Drugs Act and Its Enforcement.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/changes-science-law-and-regulatory-authorities/part-i-1906-food-and-drugs-act-and-its-enforcement
“Personal Magnetism.” San Francisco Examiner. March 8, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/457762995/?match=1&terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy
“Pope Receives O’Beirne.” New York Times. Sept 25, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/20505640/?match=1&terms=%22pope%20receives%20o%27beirne%22
Schwarcz, Joe, PhD. “The Prince of Quackery.” McGill Office for Science and Society. July 16, 2025. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience-history/prince-quackery
“Thought Waves Between ‘Em.” New York Sun. April 12, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-and-the-a/185828789/
“Tribune’s Answer in Libel Suit Calls E. Virgil Neal a Quck.” New York Tribune. June 23, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/469171423/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22
“Vain Search for Neal.” New York Times. January 16, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/16/101763032.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
“WORRIED ABOUT NEAL & CO.: Depositors, You See, Don’t Like Hypnotism in Banking.” New York Sun. March 4, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-hypnotic/176427712/

E. Virgil Neal&rsquo;s career started out with writing successful textbooks, but then took a turn into being a stage hypnotist and then a series of dicey mail-order businesses.
Research:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;Can&rsquo;t Find E. Virgil Neal.&rdquo; New York Times. January 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496816.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>&ldquo;Claimed to Raise the Dead.&rdquo; Kansas City Star. Jan. 13, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/653825670/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Claimed%20to%20raise%20the%20dead%22</li>
<li>Conroy, Mary Schaeffer. &ldquo;The Cosmetics Baron You&rsquo;ve Never Heard Of: E. Virgil Neal and Tokalon.&rdquo; Third Edition. Altus History Publishing. 2014.</li>
<li>&ldquo;E. Virgil Neal Passes Away at Geneva June 30.&rdquo; The Sedalia Democrat. July 3, 1949. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sedalia-democrat-e-virgil-neal-obit/185827307/</li>
<li>&ldquo;False Advertising Chief &lsquo;Stimulant&rsquo; in Nixated Iron.&rdquo; New York Tribune. Dec. 16,1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894241833/?terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Force of Life Charges Dismissed.&rdquo; Buffalo News. April 24, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/329115069/</li>
<li>&ldquo;FORCE OF LIFE'S WIND-UP.; E. Virgil Neal Still Missing, but Offices Are Being Dismantled.&rdquo; New York Times. Jan. 17, 1906. https://www.nytimes.com/1906/01/17/archives/force-of-lifes-windup-e-virgil-neal-still-missing-but-offices-are.html</li>
<li>&ldquo;Force of Lifers Sent Many Decoy Letters.&rdquo; New York Times. February 7, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/02/07/101765677.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>&ldquo;Here&rsquo;s a Hyopnotic Bank.&rdquo; New York Sun. March 3, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/207217198/?match=1&amp;terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy</li>
<li>&ldquo;How Force of Lifers Did a Rush Business.&rdquo; New York Times. Jan. 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496815.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>&ldquo;James R. O&rsquo;Beirne.&rdquo; Fordham University. Office of the President. https://www.fordham.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/about/hall-of-honor/james-r-obeirne/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Jury Disagrees Cartilage Case.&rdquo; Buffalo Courier Express. May 5, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/352806300/?match=1&amp;terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Medical Mail-order Frauds.&rdquo; American Medical Association. 1915. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=Cyq6AAAAIAAJ&amp;vq=neal&amp;source=gbs_navlinks_s</li>
<li>&ldquo;Medicine: From Sedalia.&rdquo; Time Magazine. Dec. 25, 1933. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,746617-1,00.html</li>
<li>&ldquo;A Message to the Sick.&rdquo; Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Feb. 9, 1900. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135238292/?match=1&amp;terms=vitaopathy</li>
<li>&ldquo;Most Beautiful Woman in Paris.&rdquo; The Times-Union. October 6, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1278623430/?match=6&amp;terms=To-Kalon</li>
<li>Neal, E. Virgil and John H. Moore. &ldquo;Modern Illustrative Banking.&rdquo; American Book Company. 1904. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/modernillustrati00neal/modernillustrati00neal/</li>
<li>Neal, E. Virgil and C.T. Craig. &ldquo;Modern Illustrative Bookkeeping.&rdquo; American Book Company 1901. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/illustratimodern00nealrich/page/16/mode/2up</li>
<li>&ldquo;Neal, of &lsquo;Nuxated Iron&rsquo; Fame, Held on Fraud Charge.&rdquo; Times-Transcript. April 15, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106273916/?match=1&amp;terms=%22Neal%20of%20Nuxated%20Iron%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Neal Returns for Business.&rdquo; Post-Standard. April 30, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1091107180/</li>
<li>Bennet, James. &ldquo;Tokalon.&rdquo; Cosmetics and Skin. Jan. 26, 2025. https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/tokalon.php</li>
<li>&ldquo;Gigantic Swindle Probably Bared.&rdquo; Nebraska City Weekly. Jan. 16, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/728074626</li>
<li>&ldquo;In Force of Life Case.&rdquo; Houston Post. Jan 13, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/94975109</li>
<li>&ldquo;Nuxated Iron Sellers in Libel Suit.&rdquo; The Times-Transcript. June 10, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106285753/?match=1&amp;terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Part I: The 1906 Food and Drugs Act and Its Enforcement.&rdquo; U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/changes-science-law-and-regulatory-authorities/part-i-1906-food-and-drugs-act-and-its-enforcement</li>
<li>&ldquo;Personal Magnetism.&rdquo; San Francisco Examiner. March 8, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/457762995/?match=1&amp;terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy</li>
<li>&ldquo;Pope Receives O&rsquo;Beirne.&rdquo; New York Times. Sept 25, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/20505640/?match=1&amp;terms=%22pope%20receives%20o%27beirne%22</li>
<li>Schwarcz, Joe, PhD. &ldquo;The Prince of Quackery.&rdquo; McGill Office for Science and Society. July 16, 2025. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience-history/prince-quackery</li>
<li>&ldquo;Thought Waves Between &lsquo;Em.&rdquo; New York Sun. April 12, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-and-the-a/185828789/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Tribune&rsquo;s Answer in Libel Suit Calls E. Virgil Neal a Quck.&rdquo; New York Tribune. June 23, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/469171423/?match=1&amp;terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Vain Search for Neal.&rdquo; New York Times. January 16, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/16/101763032.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&amp;ip=0</li>
<li>&ldquo;WORRIED ABOUT NEAL &amp; CO.: Depositors, You See, Don&rsquo;t Like Hypnotism in Banking.&rdquo; New York Sun. March 4, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-hypnotic/176427712/</li>
</ul>

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Stuff You Missed in History Class

E. Virgil Neal’s career started out with writing successful textbooks, but then took a turn into being a stage hypnotist and then a series of dicey mail-order businesses.

E. Virgil Neal: Hypnotist, Fraudster, Tycoon - Part 1

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4473b6ac-880a-4d49-8c65-b4620057b38c/transcript