DISCOVERY OF A. CERTAIN ART OF RELIEVING AND CURING A VARIETY OF ACHES, PAINS, AND DISEASES IN THE HUMAN BODY, BY DRAWING OVER THE PARTS AFFECTED OR THOSE CONTIGUOUS THERETO, IN CERTAIN DIRECTIONS, VARIOUS POINTED METALS, WHICH, FROM THE AFFINITY THEY HAVE WITH THE OFFENDING MATTER, OR PROM SOME OTHER CAUSE, EXTRACT OR DRAW OUT THE SAME, AND THUS CURE THE PATIENT
Year: 1798

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
DOUGLAS PERKINS, of King Street, Covent Garden, Master of Arts, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Tenth day of March, in the thirty-eighth year of His reign,
give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Douglas Perkins, His especial
licence that I, the said Benjamin Douglas Perkins, during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the "DISCOVERY OF
A. CERTAIN ART OF RELIEVING AND CURING A VARIETY OF ACHES, PAINS, AND
DISEASES IN THE HUMAN BODY, BY DRAWING OVER THE PARTS AFFECTED OR THOSE
CONTIGUOUS THERETO, IN CERTAIN DIRECTIONS, VARIOUS POINTED METALS, WHICH,
FROM THE AFFINITY THEY HAVE WITH THE OFFENDING MATTER, OR PROM SOME
OTHER CAUSE, EXTRACT OR DRAW OUT THE SAME, AND THUS CURE THE PATIENT;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Benjamin
Douglas Perkins, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to
cause a particular description of the nature of the said Discovery, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months after the date of the said recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Benjamin Douglas Perkins, do hereby declare that the said Discovery is
described as follows (that is to say):
This Invention or Discovery consists in applying the influence of metals as

page_text: a remedy in many diseases of the human body. The metallic substances which
I employ for this purpose are those which produce that action on the nerves
and muscles of animals, known by the term galvanism. Among the various metals
that may be thus characterized, I have found none more eminently efficacious
in removing diseases than the combinations of copper, zink, and a small pro-
portion of gold, and also iron united to a very small proportion of silver or
platina. These are constructed with points, and of such dimensions as con-
venience shall dictate. They may either be formed with one point, or pointed
at each end, or with two or more points. The points of the instrument thus
formed I apply to those parts of the body which are affected with disease, and
draw them off on the skin to a considerable distance from the complaint, and
usually towards the extremities. The diseases most readily cured by this
metallic influence are rheumatism; gout, pleurisy, inflamation, spasmodic
affections, and most kinds of topical complaints. All parts of the body on
which the metals are to be used, as well as the metals. themselves, should be
perfectly free from oily and greasy applications. The relief: from this metallic
application may usually be expected in the course of from fifteen to.twenty
minutes, but with obstinate chronic diseases their use should be continued a
much longer time and repeated two or three times a day for several weeks. 'I
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Douglas Perkins, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September," in the year
of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.