New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-03-10
ARIEL,
For The Tribune
TrdctoratfoN.
.frin<.on, N. J. FEB. %, 1875.

For The Tribune
TractoratfoN.
TIE Metallic Tractors Of Dir. Perkins were IN
struments about three inches in lergth, and were
compssed Of brass and steel. pointed at one end
They were applied by drawing the points over the
parts affected, for the space OF about twenty min
utes, at sitting. Dr.. P. obtained patont for his
Invention, and entered upon career of unin'er-
rupted success. His enthusiasm peryaded ali
ranks; "he obtained the confidence of many
lightened philosophers and the Professors OF
three American Universities gaze at,es,ations in
favor Of the efficacy of the wonderful Tractors.
At Copenhagen, in 1893, twelve Professors in
the Royal Fredericks Hospital instituted 6 course
OF experiments, the results of which were deemed
of sn.tcien, importance 10 demand publication IN
an ectavo volume, which was afterwards tranSa-
tcd into various languages. the Professors re.
mark: " We do not find II possible to apply 'cSth
ana justice agaigst Perkinism, The arguments
and doubts phich haze been raised ag"smst Ant
NAL Magnetism" They also declare themselves
satisfied Of it's reality and great importance.
After the death OF DR.. P. mis- repaired to
Loadon and secured q patent there. The fame of
the tractors was extended sorapidly, that in 1904
the 'Perkinean Institute was established in Lon
don, for the relief of the poor. The Right Hon
orable Lord Rivers was President and Sir William
Barker, Vice President of the Institution. In
pamphlet published sooa after, entitled An Ac-
count of The Perkinean IDstitstion,' it stated
that cases had been communicated by disiBterested
and intelligent characters froA almost every quar-
ter of Great BritaiH, and that among others whose
names were attached to these communications,
were eight Professors in four different Universe
ties; twenty.one Physicians, nineteen Surgeons,
and thirty Clergy men, twelve OF whom were Doc
tors Of Divinity. In 1902 the published cases
amounted to 5000. The pamphlet asserted that
not one cure in 800 had been published, and that
therefore the whole number of cures exceeded one
million foe handred thousand. At the same
time in many parts of the country the Tractors
were in general use in the treatment OF the diseases
of horses, and numerous extraordinary cures were
certified. The Inference that the imagination
could have share in those marvellous receveres
But it was forgotten that although the patients
might be imperfect in that respect, yet the observ-
ers were endowed with amount tia: more than
compensated for their deficiency.
The brief preceding sketch is distinguished,
but not solitary illustration of the faacy of hu-
man testimony when applied to the phenomena of
life, or the phases Of disease. Perhaps no kin
dred dsluson since the days of feudal ignorance
has ever bseu sustained by an e9Gal numerical
amount of evidence Ii any given numsor of wit
nes,es, withou. previous knowledge, similar in kind
10 enligh,en, and familiar expersnce TO guide their
observation, could ever, By the mere evidence of
their external senses, establish new law in men.
sa or physical science. Then in wide and d.
varsi6ed range of diseases, half miraculous eff.
6ciency of the Tractors, was demonstrated beyond
doubt or cawl. Yet forty years have scarcely
passed away, and none now remain 10 credit, even
remotely, this triumphant master. piece Of
Charla,anry The most elastic creduity stretches
no, so far, unless it DO that few disciples OF Mes
saer choose assert that the were real, al
though the Tractors were useless, the operators
being unconscious and involuntary Mesmerizers.
!, follows that there circumstances in which
slime is the only test of Truth, avaiishle 70 the
popular mind Let this suffice at least TO exoner-
ase from the impu,ation of seintsrest, bigosry or
prejudice those who are slow to do homage 10
Homeopathic, Clairvoyant Mesnerism, Neurolo-
81, and other theories and dogmas aspiring to be
sciences, bu, which, 60 speak in the most gentle
and wary terms are difficult OF demonstration
while they require the most iucoatrovsrtible proof,
beng IN their own natural proposition startling, IL
credible, and almost entirely without analogy.
Let 1t also De remembered that Naturalsts Ply
sicians ard Others, whe by their daily avoca,;oss
cal science, are alone fully prepared, by constant
experiences, habits of thought, and mental disci-
pine, to unrayel the delicate sad complex phe
nomena Of vital mechanism or to trace. separate
and establish, the intricate and almos, intangible
relations between widely separated cause and
effect, as displayed il the human organization.
Such men are rarely dszzted By specous novel;
ties, or led astray by general clamor. Forty Ply
sicians and Surgeons, among the thousands Of
Grss. British. shared the common deluson, and
OF these forty, no; ever es1inent!y disiin-
guished for scientific attachments. The application
OF these remarks ,oihe present time is easily made
In conclusion viii but add the following iuterreg
a,oIes, the tendency of which will be readily per-
ceived. When has ever an important discovery
been made, establishing, perhaps, the principles Of
new science, bu. which, ai,erexcting temporary
attention, curiosity and wonder, was then cast
aside, snost forgotten, and utterly neglected, to