Not every medical device can be a blockbuster, but some are just plain bad. From the New York Times comes the story of a Dallas-area physician who revels in "misguided moments in medical history," collecting dud devices that never quite caught on.

Dr. Robert Megna and his wife, Bridget, have been collecting medical memorobilia for 20 years, according to the paper. His collection includes oddities such as a jar for leeches, a pump for collapsing lungs ("to give the organs a rest"), and even early medical electronics devices that emitted sparks meant to sooth the nerves.

If you'd like to own a piece of device history yourself, you're in luck. About 2,000 objects from the Megnas' collection will go up for auction in Ohio on September 2.

—Jamie Hartford