“'What! You don’t know about the chambardoscope—an instrument invented by an Irish Priest?' None of the ladies or gentlemen was familiar with the chambardoscope. Laflemme brought out his famous old nickel watch. 'It’s not very complicated, as you can see. The instrument is rather reminiscent of a watch, with the difference that it only has one needle. The interior comprises an apparatus that’s extremely sensitive to electric currents passing through the ground. Its use is very simple. You place the instrument flat, like this. If the needle stays on the number six, there’s nothing to fear. If it inclines to the right of the six, it’s because one is dealing with positive telluric currents. If, on the other hand, it steers to the left, that announces the presence of negative currents, which are more dangerous.' All eyes were fixed attentively on the needle, which stayed impassively on the number six. 'We can sleep easy,' Laflemme concluded, cheerfully.”

Alphonse Allais, 1902