"PERKINS' TRACTORS" EXPOSED.
Faith in the medicinal potency of the properties of the loadstone was, for centuries after its discovery, a regular part of many physicians' mental stock-in-trade; and pulverized magnet was administered in the form of pills, and potions, and salves, even after Dr. Gilbert, of Colchester, had in 1660 scientifically ascertained and published the fact, that when reduced to powder the loadstone ceases totally to possess its magnetic properties. The belief in the efficacy of magnets held its ground much later. Even in 1779 and 1780, the Royal Society of Medicine at Paris made experiments with the view of precisely ascertaining the influence of magnets on the human system; and the conclusion reached was, that they exerted a healing potency of no contemptible character. It was about this time that the instruments called "Perkins' Tractors," which were supposed to be endowed with magnetic power, came into vogue. Perkins was an American citizen, from the shrewd State of Connecticut; and only he could make, and only he sell, the painted nails, composed of an alloy of various metals, that were in great demand among the credulous and the wealthy. For a considerable time the wonderful tractors attracted and perplexed everybody; until Dr. Haygarth of Bath, in the following manner, made it apparent that the efficacy of the tractors lay not in themselves, but in the mental condition of the person upon whom they were used:—"Robert Thomas, aged forty-three, who had been for some time under the care of Dr. Lovell, in the Bristol Infirmary, with a rheumatic affection of the shoulder, which rendered his arm perfectly useless, was pointed out as a proper object of trial by Mr. J. W. Dyer, apothecary to the house. Tuesday, April 19th, having everything in readiness, I passed through the ward, and, in a way that he might suspect nothing, questioned him respecting his complaint. I then told him that I had an instrument in my pocket which had been very serviceable to many in his state; and when I had explained to him how simple it was, he consented to undergo the operation. In six minutes no other effect was produced than a warmth upon the skin, and I feared that this coup d'essai had failed. The next day, however, he told me that 'he had received so much benefit that it had enabled him to lift his hand from his knee, which he had in vain several times attempted on Monday evening, as the whole ward witnessed.' The tractors I used being made of lead, I thought it advisable to lay them aside, lest, being metallic points, the proof against the fraud might be less complete. Thus much, however, was proved, that the patent tractors possessed no specific power independent of simple metals. Two pieces of wood, properly shaped and painted, were next made use of; and in order to add solemnity to the farce, Mr. Barton held in his hand a stop-watch, whilst Mr. Lax minuted the effects produced. In four minutes the man raised his hand several inches, and he had lost also the pain in his shoulder, usually experienced when attempting to lift anything. He continued to undergo the operation daily, and with progressive good effect; for, on the twenty-fifth, he could touch the mantelpiece. On the twenty-seventh, in the presence of Dr. Lovell and Mr. J. P. Noble, two common iron nails, disguised with sealing-wax, were substituted for the pieces of mahogany before used. In three minutes he felt something moving from his arm to his hand, and soon after he touched the board of rules which hung a foot above the fire-place. This patient at length so far recovered that he could carry coals and use his arm sufficiently to help the nurse; yet, previous to the use of the spurious tractors, he could no more lift his hand from his knee than if a hundredweight were upon it, or a nail driven through it, as he declared in the presence of several gentlemen. The fame of this case brought applications in abundance; indeed, it must be confessed, that it was more than sufficient to act upon weak minds, and induce a belief that these pieces of wood and iron were endowed with some peculiar virtues."
The prosecution and publication of the result of Haygarth's experiments, led to the downfall of Perkins and the discredit of the tractors; but it was not very long before Mesmerism had established a yet stronger hold on the public credulity, which seems never to be content, if it is not fooled to the top of its bent.
WHITFIELD "IMPROVING" AN EXECUTION IN EDINBURGH.
When Whitfield first went to Scotland, he was received in Edinburgh with a kind of frantic joy by many of the citizens. The day after his arrival, an unhappy man, who had forfeited his life to the offended laws of his country, was to be executed. Mr. Whitfield mingled in the crowd on the occasion, and seemed highly pleased with the solemnity and decorum with which the awful scene was conducted. His appearance, however, drew the eyes of all around him, and raised a variety of opinions as to his motives. The next day being Sunday, he preached to a very large congregation in a field near the city. In the course of his sermon, he adverted to the execution which had taken place on the preceding day. "I know," said he, "that many of you will find it difficult to reconcile my appearance yesterday with my character. Many of you, I know, will say that my moments would have been better employed in praying for the unhappy man than in attending him to the fatal tree, and that perhaps curiosity was the only cause that converted me into a spectator on that occasion. But those who ascribe that uncharitable motive to me, are under a mistake. I went as an observer of human nature, and to see the effect that such an example would have on those who witnessed it. I watched the conduct of almost every one present on that awful occasion, and I was highly pleased with their demeanour, which has given me a very favourable opinion of the Scottish nation. Your sympathy was visible on your countenances, and reflected the goodness of your hearts, particularly when the moment arrived that your unhappy fellow-creature was to close his eyes on this world for ever; then you all, as if moved by one impulse, turned your heads aside, and wept. Those tears were precious, and will be held in remembrance. How different was it when the Saviour of mankind was extended on the cross! The Jews, instead of sympathizing in His sorrows, triumphed in them. They reviled Him with bitter expressions, with words even more bitter than the gall and vinegar which they handed Him to drink. Not one of all that witnessed His pains turned His head aside, even in the last pang. Yes, my friends, there was one; that glorious luminary (pointing to the sun) veiled his brightness, and travelled on his course in tenfold night."
DR. JOHNSON'S OPINION OF WHITFIELD.
Boswell informs us that Dr. Johnson would not allow much merit to Whitfield's oratory. "His popularity, Sir," said he, "is chiefly owing to the peculiarity of his manner. He would be followed by crowds were he to wear a nightcap in the pulpit, or were he to preach from a tree." And again: "Whitfield never drew as much attention as a mountebank does; he did not draw attention by doing better than others, but by doing what was strange. Were Astley to preach a sermon standing upon his head on a horse's back, he would collect a multitude to hear him; but no wise man would say he had made a better sermon for that. I never treated Whitfield's ministry with contempt; I believe he did good. He had devoted himself to the lower classes of mankind, and among them he was of use. But when familiarity and noise claim the praise due to knowledge, art, and elegance, we must beat down such pretensions."
DR. WOLCOT ("PETER PINDAR") IN JAMAICA.
Dr. Wolcot, the patron of Opie, and better known to fame as "Peter Pindar," practised medicine—descending from a family, members of which in several generations had followed the same profession in Devon and Cornwall. Sir William Trelawny, when he went as Governor to Jamaica, took Wolcot out as surgeon to his household; and there he figured in several characters—as grand master of the ceremonies, private secretary, and chaplain. Whether or not he ever received regular ordination, it is certain that Wolcot acted as rector in the colony for some time; and odd stories of his behaviour as a parish priest were current among his friends as well as his enemies. He read prayers and preached when a congregation presented itself; but that was not oftener than about every fourth Sunday. He was a capital shot, and, with his clerk, used to amuse himself with shooting pigeons. Having shot their way to the church, the pair were wont to wait ten minutes in the porch for the arrival of the congregation; at the end of which time, if nobody appeared, the reverend sportsmen returned to their amusement. If a few negroes only presented themselves at the church, the rector bought them off with a little money; and one old negro, finding out Wolcot's weakness, after a time attended every Sunday, when the rector would address him: "What do you come here for, blackee?" "Why, Massa, for to hear your good sermon and all the prayer ob de church." "Would not a bit or two do you more good?" "Yes, massa doctor; me lub prayer much, but me lub money too." The little transaction would then take place, and the darky retire grinning; and it is said that this man drew thus an income from Wolcot for a whole year. When he returned to England, Wolcot did not succeed in obtaining a practice, and abandoned both physic and divinity for satire—which yielded him a good income while he lived, and won him fame both with his own generation and with posterity.