Norwich bulletin., 1909-11-04
PERKINlSM WAS STARTED
 BY NORWICH DOCTOR.
Faith Cure in Early Days Had a Big
 Following.

The Connecticut Historical society has recently received copy of Thom- as Green Fessendens satirical poem A Terrible Tractoration, which was written as a defense of Dr. Elisha Perkins system of curing by the ap- plication of metallic tractors to the diseased parts of the body. The poem is in four eantos and is a severe crit icism on the methods of the leading physicians of the early part of the nineteenth and the latter part of the eighteenth centuries. Back of it's pub lication lies a history of medical quackery during the early part of the nineteenth century, says the Hartford Courant.
 pr. Elisha Perkins was born in Nor wien Jan. 16, TAI, and was educated by his father, Dr. Joseph Perkins, in Plainfield, where he began the practice of medicine. In 1796 he invented his metallic tractors for the curing of dis ease, which were destined to start a controversy in medical circles equal to the Cook-Peary fight and the Samp- son. -Schley controversy. The tractors consisted of two instruments, one of which resembled brass and the other steel, but which he said were of a pe- culiar composition Of metals; they were three inches long and were pointed at the ends. Dr. Perkins claimed that they were of great value in the curing of disease, such as rheumatism inflam- nations, pains in the face and head and so forth. The application consist ed in applying the points to the af- nicted part and in drawing them over it in downward direction for about 20 minutes. He claimed to have ef- fected marvellous, cures and the meth cd was recommended by the faculty of three institutions of good standing in the United States, and in Copen- hagen 12 physicians and surgeons, most of them instructors in the Royal Frederick hospital, gave their opinion In favor of the new theory, which they called 'rPerkinism"
 In London. where the tractors were introduced by Dr. Perkins son. Perldnsian institute for the benefit of the poor was established under the presidency of Lord. Rivers. The list Of persons claiming to have been. cured was enormous, and Dr. Perkins fame became worldwide. Many physi- clans and scientists doubted his theory and made attacks upon him, but in spite of this Perkinsism continued to flourish. The doctor refused to di- vulge his secret and in place of sell ing his tractors outright would only rent them for a limited space of time. He was one of the incorporators of the Connecticut Medical society, but after the invention of his tractors did not remain long in that society's good graces. On May IT, 1796, the society passed vote that whereas "it hay ing been represented to this society that one gof their members had gleaned up from the miserable re- mains of animal magnetism practice consisting of stroking with a pointed metallic instrument the pained parts of the human bodies, giving out that such .strokings will radically cure the most obstinate pains to which our frame is incident, causing false re- ports to be propagated of the effect of such stroking, especially where they have been performed on some public occasions and on men of dis tinction." and so forth. any member of the society practicing such delusive quackery should be cited before a meeting of the society and show cause why he should not be expelled.
 At the May meeting in 1797 Dr. Elisha Perkins was formally expelled from the society for his practices. He died in New York September 6. 1799, the result of yellow fever contracted while he was courageousiy fighting an epidemic of tha zanaa and trying the