The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-29
OLD-TIME QUACKS.
Famous W0nder-l y Orkers of the
Last Century Gag iostro.

Katerfelto and His CatslThe
Wonderful Unicorn's Horn
arahams Celestial Bed.
There have doubtless been quacks ever
since there have been sick people, or people
who have fancied themselves sick. But the
q1acks Of the year Of grace 1879 are very
different body from what they were In the
last century, as the reader may Judge from o
glance at some famous empires Of hundred
years ago In England.
THE QUAGK OF QUACKS.'
The archquack to whom Carlyle applied
this sobriquet was the hero Of Dumas splen-
did romance, Joseph Balsamo." The career
OF the bogus Count Alessandro di Cagliostro,
under his numberless aliases, his intrignes,
swindles, empiricisms, and his final end in
1875, at lineage of fifty-two, after an imprison-
ment OF six years in the Roman fortress Of
San Leo. are all parts of popular history. To
reeapitulate them would be only TO weary
the reader with familiar details.
But the Scotch philosophers pen picture Of
this "Inost perfect scOundrel," this king OF
liars" as he calls him, cannot fail to be in
teresting. In reading 1T one cannot help
wondering what Balsamo would have thought
of 1t himself. Carlyle, with his gall-dipped
pen, says Of his face:
"a most portentous face Of scoundrelism @
fat, snub, abomtnabIe face; dew-lapped, flat
nosed, greasy, full Of greediness, sensuality,
ox-like obstinacy; forehead lmpudent, re-
ftlsing 10 be ashamed; and then two eyes
turned up seraphically languishtng, as II In
divine contemplation and alteration, q touch
of q quiz, too; ON the whole perhaps this most
quack face produced by the eighteenth cer-
fury. ,.
CAGLIOsTRo'S GREAT RIVAL.
Atthe end Of the last and the beginning OF
the present century there appeared regular
", at d certain hour each day, In Hyde Park,
d figure with which all London Was familiar.
It was that of the te-looking parsonage
with d very low-crowned, narrow brfmmed
coat and boots OF q similar complexion, and
q grizzled red and silver beard OF patriarchal
proportions. Mounted on a pony whose orig
nal color was white, but whose coat, accord
ing TO his riders varying fancy, would be
frescoed from day to day with streaks,
stripes, spots or grotesaue figures In purple,
green, blue and other tints OF paint, this gem
tleman will ambfe sOberly along Rotten Row,
receiving tne salutes OF tue other equestrians
with philosophic gravity. He was only known
to depart from this decorous department once.
That memorable occasion was one on which
he ran q race (the pony on that day being
decorated in crimson, black and gold and
won the stakes.
This character was Martin Van Butchell,
the inventor Of those very Indispensable pOr-
tions of modern attire, snspenders, and the
accumulation oil as comfortable competency
as any quack ever achieved.
GENIUS FOE ADVERTISING.
Van Butehell had a perfect and magnificent
tlces some Of which would fill whole columns
Of the Dispntch, were maTvels Of crazy com
position. But it remained for him TO achieve
the sublimest OF all victories In attracting
custom on novel plan.
In 1776 his wifedied. He embalmed her and
offered q view OF her body as an indncem emit
to patients. In an advertisement In the st.
james Chronicle he says:
Ivan Butchell not willing to be unpleas-
antly circumstanced, and wishing to convince
some good minds they have been misin-
forrned), acquaints the curious no stranger
can see his embalmed wife, unless fby friend
or personally introduced to himself, any day
between ana J. sundays t eaesRtsd h,a,,
British Christian man, with comely
beard full eight inches long," the combings
Of which he sells for guinea hair as cure
for barrenness and impotency. Van Butchell
made mint OF money, and died very rich
man.
KATEHFELTo, THE WIZARD.
Another eccentric, bogus abolisher of dis
| eases was Katerfelto, 81 foreigner, who claimed
to have been 81 soldier In the famous Prussian
deaths Head" Hnssars and Of whom Cow
per, In "The Task says:
Ard Katerfelto, with his hair on end
At his own wonders wondering for his bread
In 1882 Katerfelto was dosing and bolusing
the credulous Ia London. In 1890 and 1891 he
| made professional tour Of the provinces La
an old rumbling coach hauled by two bony
| horses, his wife and daughter inside and two
! black servants In green and red ltver1est with
out. These menials announced his perform.
ances with trumpet blasts andthe Delivery Of
hand bills.
| These performances were by daylight, a
| microscopes; at night, electricity. IL eodnec-
| ton with the latter he used trained black cats
/ popularity known as 1.-THE Doctors Devils, "
whose backs he rubbed the wrong .wsy to pro.
duce sparks In a dark room. He called Ms
shows "The Wonderful Works of G dis Prov
idence;;" modestly described himself SIS "the
greatest philosopher In this Kingdom since
| Sir Isaac Newton" claimed Benjarasn Frank
| lin as a correspondent and bosom friend, ant
was nunberless times in jail tho last lev
| DAYS before he died.
Katesfelto made speciality "a influenza
which he claimed was produced, ike the itch
/ by insects, and which he charmed away witt
lamentations.
MISCELLANEOUS QUAIEs.
It was an era OF quaekery, gold-oookinG
and indiscrimlnate imposture. One M; Pa
tieIee advertised In It'll as dentist, dane
ing master, surgeon, by bigth," teacher o
violin playing. miniature painter, fencing
shooting, advantage card playing, and, il
fact, every other art except that Of making
money honestly.
| Another successful swiadler was Jcshu;
Ward "late from Paris, with wonderful
Ipill and marvellous drop, which cured al
4 distempers. How 1t cured them may be il
ferred from the following obituary In til
Gentteman's MGgasme:
''YEsEY HART. ESQ. OF L1NcoLS's nm
about fifteen months ago he took the celebrate
Pill, which had at flrss such violent Effects .
o throw him into COMMISSIONS and deprlt
him Of his sight. On rsec very he fell into cor
SUMPTION
One Stafford adyartises to practice "asstro
ogy and physick@ on special license fro
: God.
John Case pasted on his pill-boxes;
Here's. IA pills for 8 PENCE
Enough ID every mans conscience"
! And died In NeWgate under sentence for ha