Influence of Metallic Traclors. 25 1 



Several phenomena relating to the influence of metals in 

 cafes ol" pains, be had obferved before the news of Galvani's 

 difcovery had reached America ; and when the phyfiologifts 

 of . urope were engaged in experimenting on the denuded 

 nerves and mufcles of the fmaller animals, with a view to 

 afcertain the agency of this incomprehensible property in 

 them, Dr. Perkins was profecuting a feries of experiments, 

 which confilied in applying externally, to parts affeded with 

 difeafe, metals and compounds of metals, of every defcrip- 

 tion, which cccuvrtd to him, and conftruaed into various 

 forms and fiz^s. The refult proved, that on drawing 

 lightly over the parts atTeaed certain inftruments, termed 

 tractors, which he formed from metallic fubftances into 

 pointed fnapes, he could remove rncfl of thofe topical riif- 

 eafes of t'.,e human body, where an extra degree of nerv- 

 ous energy or vital heat was prefent •, unlefs fuch difeafe 

 was fituated in forae of the internal vifcera, too remote from 

 the part where the inftruments could be applied. The dif- 

 eafes «hich have been found moft fufceptible of the influ- 

 ence of the traaors, are rheumatifm, fome gouty affeaions, 

 pleunfy, o, hthalmias, eryfipelas, violent fpafmodic convul- 

 Cons, as epileptic fits and the locked jaw, the pain and fwelling 

 attending contunons, inflammatory tumors, the pains from 

 a recent fprain, the painful effeas of a burn or fcald, pains 

 in the head, teeth, and indeed moft kinds of painful topical 

 affeaions, excepting where the organic ftruaure of the part 

 is deftroyed, as in wounds, ulcers, &c. and excepting alfo 

 where oils or fome other non-condu£ling fubftances are 



"ent. 



This praaice, like all confiderable innovation?, on its firft 

 introduaion, encountered the fevereft fcepticiim and ridi- 

 cule, and a medical fociety pronounced it a revival of the 

 exploded praaice of animal magnetifm : but the'prefident 

 and many of the members of that fociety afterwards applied 

 the t.aaors to praaice, and have fince publifhed the fuccefs 



of their numerous experiments. 



As 



