Education, Medical -- Massachusetts -- 19th century; Homeopathy; Libraries, Medical -- Massachusetts -- 19th century; Medicine
But it is an undeniable fact, that many persons of considerable
standing, and in some instances holding the most elevated positions in
society, openly patronized the new practice. In a translation of a work
entitled “Experiments with the Metallic Tractors,” originally published
in Danish, thence rendered successively into German and English, Mr.
Benjamin Perkins, who edited the English edition, has given a copious
enumeration of the distinguished individuals, both in America and
Europe, whose patronage he enjoyed. He goes so far as to signify that
ROYALTY itself was to be included among the number. When the Perkinean
Institution was founded, no less a person than Lord Rivers was elected
President, and eleven other individuals of distinction, among them
Governor Franklin, son of Dr. Franklin, figured as Vice-Presidents. Lord
Henniker, a member of the Royal Society, who is spoken of as a man
of judgment and talents, condescended to patronize the astonishing
discovery, and at different times bought three pairs of Tractors. When
the Tractors were introduced into Europe, a large number of testimonials
accompanied them from various distinguished characters in America, the
list of whom is given in the translation of the Danish work referred to
as follows:
“Those who have individually stated cases, or who have presented their
names to the public as men who approved of this remedy, and acknowledged
themselves instrumental in circulating the Tractors, are fifty-six in
number; thirty-four of whom are physicians and surgeons, and many of
them of the first eminence, thirteen clergymen, most of whom are doctors
of divinity, and connected with the literary institutions of America;
among the remainder are two members of Congress, one professor of
natural philosophy in a college, etc., etc.” It seemed to be taken
rather hardly by Mr. Perkins that the translators of the work which he
edited, in citing the names of the advocates of the Metallic Practice,
frequently omitted the honorary titles which should have been annexed.
The testimonials were obtained by the Danish writer, from a pamphlet
published in America, in which these titles were given in full. Thus
one of these testimonials is from “John Tyler, Esq., a magistrate in the
county of New London, and late Brigadier-General of the militia in
that State.” The “omission of the General's title” is the subject of
complaint, as if this title were sufficient evidence of the commanding
powers of one of the patrons of tractoration. A similar complaint is
made when “Calvin Goddard, Esq., of Plainfield, Attorney at Law, and
a member of the Legislature of the State of Connecticut,” is mentioned
without his titular honors, and even on account of the omission of the
proper official titles belonging to “Nathan Pierce, Esq., Governor and
Manager of the Almshouse of Newburyport.” These instances show the great
importance to be attached to civil and military dignities, in qualifying
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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