medical essays-第6节
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position； whether an expressly fraudulent contrivance or not； some might be ready to question。 Everything historically shown to have happened concerning the mode of promulgation； the wide diffusion； the apparent success of this delusion； the respectability and enthusiasm of its advocates； is of great interest in showing to what extent and by what means a considerable part of the community may be led into the belief of that which is to be eventually considered' as an idle folly。 If there is any existing folly； fraudulent or innocent in its origin； which appeals to certain arguments for its support； provided that the very same arguments can be shown to have been used for Perkinism with as good reason； they will at once fall to the ground。 Still more； if it shall appear that the general course of any existing delusion bears a strong resemblance to that of Perkinism； that the former is most frequently advocated by the same class of persons who were conspicuous in behalf of the latter； and treated with contempt or opposed by the same kind of persons who thus treated Perkinism； if the facts in favor of both have a similar aspect； if the motives of their originators and propagators may be presumed to have been similar； then there is every reason to suppose that the existing folly will follow in the footsteps of the past； and after displaying a given amount of cunning and credulity in those deceiving and deceived； will drop from the public view like a fruit which has ripened into spontaneous rottenness； and be succeeded by the fresh bloom of some other delusion required by the same excitable portion of the community。
Dr。 Elisha Perkins was born at Norwich； Connecticut； in the year 1740。 He had practised his profession with a good local reputation for many years； when he fell upon a course of experiments； as it is related； which led to his great discovery。 He conceived the idea that metallic substances might have the effect of removing diseases； if applied in a certain manner； a notion probably suggested by the then recent experiments of Galvani； in which muscular contractions were found to be produced by the contact of two metals with the living fibre。 It was in 1796 that his discovery was promulgated in the shape of the Metallic Tractors； two pieces of metal； one apparently iron and the other brass； about three inches long； blunt at one end and pointed at the other。 These instruments were applied for the cure of different complaints； such as rheumatism； local pains； inflammations； and even tumors； by drawing them over the affected part very lightly for about twenty minutes。 Dr。 Perkins took out a patent for his discovery； and travelled about the country to diffuse the new practice。 He soon found numerous advocates of his discovery； many of them of high standing and influence。 In the year 1798 the tractors had crossed the Atlantic； and were publicly employed in the Royal Hospital at Copenhagen。 About the same time the son of the inventor； Mr。 Benjamin Douglass Perkins； carried them to London； where they soon attracted attention。 The Danish physicians published an account of their cases； containing numerous instances of alleged success； in a respectable octavo volume。 In the year 1804 an establishment； honored with the name of the Perkinean Institution； was founded in London。 The transactions of this institution were published in pamphlets； the Perkinean Society had public dinners at the Crown and Anchor； and a poet celebrated their medical triumph in strains like these ：
〃See； pointed metals； blest with power t' appease The ruthless rage of merciless disease； O'er the frail part a subtle fluid pour； Drenched with invisible Galvanic shower； Till the arthritic staff and crutch forego； And leap exulting like the bounding roe！〃
While all these things were going on； Mr。 Benjamin Douglass Perkins was calmly pocketing money； so that after some half a dozen years he left the country with more than ten thousand pounds； which had been paid him by the believers in Great Britain。 But in spite of all this success； and the number of those interested and committed in its behalf； Perkinism soon began to decline； and in 1811 the Tractors are spoken of by an intelligent writer as being almost forgotten。 Such was the origin and duration of this doctrine and practice； into the history of which we will now look a little more narrowly。
Let us see； then； by whose agency this delusion was established and kept up； whether it was principally by those who were accustomed to medical pursuits； or those whose habits and modes of reasoning were different； whether it was with the approbation of those learned bodies usually supposed to take an interest in scientific discoveries； or only of individuals whose claims to distinction were founded upon their position in society； or political station； or literary eminence； whether the judicious or excitable classes entered most deeply into it； whether； in short； the scientific men of that time were deceived； or only intruded upon； and shouted down for the moment by persons who had no particular call to invade their precincts。
Not much； perhaps； was to be expected of the Medical Profession in the way of encouragement。 One Dr。 Fuller； who wrote in England； himself a Perkinist； thus expressed his opinion： 〃It must be an extraordinary exertion of virtue and humanity for a medical man； whose livelihood depends either on the sale of drugs； or on receiving a guinea for writing a prescription； which must relate to those drugs； to say to his patient； 'You had better purchase a set of Tractors to keep in your family； they will cure you without the expense of my attendance； or the danger of the common medical practice。' For very obvious reasons medical men must never be expected to recommend the use of Perkinism。 The Tractors must trust for their patronage to the enlightened and philanthropic out of the profession； or to medical men retired from practice； and who know of no other interest than the luxury of relieving the distressed。 And I do not despair of seeing the day when but very few of this description as well as private families will be without them。〃
Whether the motives assigned by this medical man to his professional brethren existed or not； it is true that Dr。 Perkins did not gain a great deal at their hands。 The Connecticut Medical Society expelled him in 1797 for violating their law against the use of nostrums； or secret remedies。 The leading English physicians appear to have looked on with singular apathy or contempt at the miracles which it was pretended were enacting in the hands of the apostles of the new practice。 In looking over the reviews of the time； I have found little beyond brief occasional notices of their pretensions； the columns of these journals being occupied with subjects of more permanent interest。 The state of things in London is best learned； however； from the satirical poem to which I have already alluded as having been written at the period referred to。 This was entitled； 〃Terrible Tractoration！！ A Poetical Petition against Galvanizing Trumpery and the Perkinistic Institution。 Most respectfully addressed to the Royal College of Physicians； by Christopher Caustic； M。 D。； LL。 D。； A。 S。 S。； Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians； Aberdeen； and Honorary Member of no less than nineteen very learned Societies。〃 Two editions of this work were published in London in the years 1803 and 1804； and one or two have been published in this country。
〃Terrible Tractoration〃 is supposed； by those who never read it； to be a satire upon the follies of Perkins and his followers。 It is； on the contrary； a most zealous defence of Perkinism； and a fierce attack upon its opponents； most especially upon such of the medical profession as treated the subject with neglect or ridicule。 The Royal College of Physicians was the more peculiar object of the attack； but with this body； the editors of some of the leading periodicals； and several physicians distinguished at that time； and even now remembered for their services to science and humanity； were involved in unsparing denunciations。 The work is by no means of the simply humorous character it might be supposed； but is overloaded with notes of the most seriously polemical nature。 Much of the history of the subject； indeed； is to be looked for in this volume。
It appears from this work that the principal members of the medical profession； so far from hailing Mr。 Benjamin Douglass Perkins as another Harvey or Jenner； looked very coldly upon him and his Tractors； and it is now evident that； though they were much abused for so doing； they knew very well what they had to deal with； and were altogether in the right。 The delusion at last attracted such an amount of attention as to induce Dr。 Haygarth and some others of respectable standing to institute some experiments which I shall mention in their proper place； the result of which might have seemed sufficient to show the emptiness of the whole contrivance。
The Royal Society； that learned body which for ages has constituted the best tribunal to which Britain can appeal in questions of science； accepted Mr。 Perkins's Tractors and the book written about them；
