REMINISCENCES OF DE. L. H. POTTS. Il9 



of a machine for raising water to irrigate the farm, and, showing 

 there was nothing too insignificant for the doctor's ingenuity, a 

 little apparatus for moulding butter (so as to avoid touching 

 with the hand), the print of which was an elegant swan; which 

 I have often seen. In the same house was a puzzling jug, 

 known as the doctor's jug, and presented by him, which was 

 surrounded with holes on the lower part of the neck, out of 

 which the nut brown ale or whatever liquid it contained, gushed 

 over the would-be drinker unacquainted with the secret of 

 of putting his finger on a particular hole ; so we may conclude 

 the learned doctor loved a joke. 



He was happy in his family ; in his children he found great 

 assistance in his pursuits, and when infirmities overtook him, 

 their help was invaluable ; his eldest daughter. Miss Ethelinda, 

 has been well-known to many in Truro. 



For purposes of study, he rose at 2 a.m. ; probably to get 

 through some of the work on which he was engaged and enable 

 him to be free to see his patients. 



In 1828 he left Truro for Bodmin, where he continued his 

 researches, and the inventing of applicances for the relief of 

 suflPering humanity, having been appointed Medical Super- 

 intendent of the County Lunatic Asylum. 



Amongst his inventions was a boat propelled by muscular 

 power, which excited much interest on our river ; a building he 

 erected at Bodmin for patents, was long known as the doctor's 

 folly ; but these, as well as many others of his inventions, were 

 simply in advance of their time. 



In 1838 he removed to Blackheath for the purpose mostly 

 (except his health) of developing his inventions, which were 

 assuming gigantic proportions; a list of them would fill a volume. 

 I will only mention one, and that is the pneumatic pile-driving 

 process, the greatest boon ever bestowed on engineering science. 



He was a great collector, and continued to enrich our 

 museum long after he had gone to reside at Vanbrugh Castle, 

 Blackheath. A choice cabinet of minerals was presented by 

 him to Prince Albert, who took much interest in his inventions. 



