NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Washington Founded 1836 U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Public Health Service \ \\ EVIDENCE. O F T H E €f ftcar ? / / OF Doctor Perkins's $a enfc Metallic 3toftt«ments. NEW-LONDON :—FROM Si GREEN S PRESS. 1 O THE PUBLIC, Q k_J EIS SIBLE that every attempt at improve- ment in any of the ufeful arts, ever has, and probably ever will meet with oppofition, either from interefted or certain other motives, which in a greater or lefs de- gree influence the generality of mankind,—the fub- fcriber takes the liberty to cite a few among numerous cales in which his method of removing pains, in • mations, and fpafmodic affe&ions from the hum dy, has been attended with fuccefs. The novel-> , apparent fimplicity of this practice, may poflii- , duce fome, before they have had recourfe to px rnent, to queflion its efficacy and treat the ''■.' with ridicule. That the public may be more L torily informed as to its utility and importan <■ pubiifhes the following certificates and letters, a ceived from feveral of the moft refpeaable charav-crs. ELISHA PERKINS. Plainfield, January 2, 1797. « EVIDENCES, &c. Extracts from Letters to the Author of the Metallic Discovery. PIERPONT EDWARDS, Efq. Diftria Attorney for the State of Conneaicut. dear sir, New-Haven, OBober 7, 1796. A SHOULD have written you laft week, had I then been able to ascertain certain faas, the rumor of which I had heard. A Mrs. Beers, a near neighbor to me, the wife of Eber Beers, and daughter of Capt. Samuel Huggins, of this town, had been, for fourteen weeks, exceedingly diftreffed with the Rheumatifm, to fuch a degree that for the fourteen weeks, previous to the 29th of laft month, fhe had not been able to walx acrofs her room even with crutches, fave only once, when fhe made out with the alfiftance of crutches, to hobble part of the ivay acrofs her room.—On the 29th of September laft, {he procured a fet of your Metallic Subftances, and in lefs than an hour after (he had be-. gun to ufe them, in the manner direaed by you, fhe rofe from her chair, and walked about her houle, and on the next day fhe went abroad to,her neighbors, having thrown afide her crutches. I have this day paid her a vifit, in company with her father, and Ti- mothy Jones, Efq. who lives in the ftreet where (he refides and direaiy oppofite to her refidence, and with Capt. Abel Burrett, who is her next neighbor, and lrwes within eight yarcls of her door. I reciuefted hec- Aoo2\l C 4 3 to relate her cafe over in their prefence, which fhe did. and thefe gentlemen all, with one voice, fupport- ed, from their own knowledge, her ftory. It is a duty which you owe yourfelf and the world to promulge this event. / am very refpeBjully, your obedient fervant, PIERPONT EDWARDS. N. B. She fays her fever has left her, her appetite has returned, and fhe is in a fair way to be reftored to perfeft health. CALVIN GODDARD, Efq. Plainfield, Sept. 25, 1796. dear sir, " T JL HAVE lately been eye witnefs to one opera- tion, with your Metallic Points, which appeared to me a little lingular. A rough, hardy labourer had a very bad boil upon the outfide of his ancJe—His leg was fwollen to the knee, and his foot, to the toes, looked as though the fkin was ready to burft—The leg up to the hip, he laid was in extreme pain, fo that he was deprived of deep the night preceding, and the foot was in a high date of inflammation—I drew the inftruments repeatedly up and down the leg, without any vifible effta or decreafe of pain, fo long that I was almoft dilcouraged—at length however the patient pulled off his coat aud flung it afide—(It was one of thofe cold nights the beginning of this month)—His leg, was of a iudden wet with fweat— Indeed the iweat burft inftantaneoufly from all his pores—The inflammation, upon the furface of the foot fublidtd and the (Veiling nbated—the man de- clared nimleil liiee from pain, w*nt to bed and flepfc Z 5 1 •Well, and I heard no further complaint. As I had never known of this fweating effcd, I thought the cafe worth reporting to you.* I am, &c. CALVIN GODDARD." * This fweating is not unvjual. JAMES GLOVER, Efq — Norwkk, Covniy cf ' 77r j>% State of New-York. Sept. 19 1796. S 1 r. ---- XjlAVING lately purchafed a fet of your Pa- tent Inftruments to keep in my family, I have ufcd them with great fuccefs on a perlon Icalded with boil- ing lye ; a man by the name of Welch, who was at work in my pot afh. when boiling down the lye, foma of it flew into one of his eyes, which loon became very much inflamed, and fwelled to fuch a degree, that he could not open it, and remained in that fixa- tion, for the fpace of three days, when after a few minutes operating with your patent inftruments, het was able to open it. and with two operations only, his eye was almoft entirely free from pain and inflam- mation, and in a fhort time was perfeaiy well, al- though fo badly fcalt he had almoft dr.fpr.irea of us ever recovering, 3 3 limbs, arifing from colds, and in one or two inftancea rheumatic pains have been relieved by them ; and in one inftance the painful effeas of the fling of a wafp were entirely removed. In fome cafes I have been unfuccefsfuJ, particularly in a burn, where * oil had been previoufly applied, and in the tooth ache, where the teeth were very defeaive. On the whole] I believe the difcovery to he a very ufeful one, I with it cordially all imaginable fuccefs. / am, (3c. JEDIDIAH MORSE. *■ In the transfer of the patent right, one of which ac~ companies each fet of inftruments, are fpecifed, the feveral difeafes in which this treatment is ufeful,—the mode of op* eration, and the circumjlances which prevent the general ijfeBs. It is there obferved,—" the efficacy of the means is prevented by all oily and gresfy fubflances." It may not be reafonably prefumed that relief could be given to teeth which 'were very defeaive. Rev. WALTER KING. S i R, Norwich, Ofto. 6, 1796. A HE fame and utility of your Patent Inftru- ments have become fubjea$ of fo much notoriety and fpeculation, that almoft all pained people are defirous of making trial of them. Their efficacy, within my knowledge, appears to be increafing. I am more and more confirmed in the benefit of the difcovery, and cannot think but they will continue as long as the pains of the human body fhall need them. / am, (3c> WALTER KING. [ 14 3 Rev. Dh. RQBBINS, of Plymonth. bear sir, Sept. 24, 1796. O^EVERAL perfons, fince you left us, have experienced immediate relief, in various complaints,, by the Metallic Points. I operated day before yefterday on a man's hand,. which was prodigioufly fwelled, and painful, by a wound he received on the back of it, which he ne- gleaed and got cold in. It was much infl imed ; but was relieved by that fingle operation. : The fwelling fubfided, and the inflammation went away, fo that he went direaiy to work on board his veffel. He told me the laft night it gave him no trouble/ / qm, (3c. CHANDLER ROJ3$INS. Rev. Dr. STILLMAN, of BOSTON. ft ear sir, Oaober 6, 1796. T JL FEEL myfelf much obliged to you for the important fervice you have rendered to Mrs. Stillman's eyes, after a diftreffing inflammation of eight months. If, through too much exercife, or being expofed to very cold air, a degree of inflammation returns, it is removed in a few minutes, again by the application of your Points. I have, in my. walks among the fick, made ufe of them repeatedly with fuccefs ; and cannot but think they will be of important benefit to mankind. / am, (3c, SAMUEL STILLMAN. • C *s 1 Rfcv. Mr. BRADFORD, of* Rowley. Dear Sir, ---- ODcc. 2, 1796. M the 26th Oaober laft, the wife of a cer- tain Mr. Lane, of C «ndia, fell from a horfe and hurt the fmall of her back exceedingly. A phyfician was immediately called to her relief, who blooded her, and admimftered to her fuch medicines as he judged proper. She was in the fifth month of her pregnancy; her friends of courfe were exceedingly alarmed at her misfortune. The phyficians' means proving infuffi- cient for the removal of her pains during feveral hours, ! w« called upon by the advice of her phyfician and her friends to apply your Metallic Points to her.—* When I came to her lodgings, I found her fitting be- fore the fire in the greateft agony, having little or no ufe of her lower limbs, and not being able without the greateft difficulty to raife her feet from the floor. By the help of her friends fhe was laid on the bed, but was unable to turn herfelf by her own ftrength. The Points were applied to the fmall of her back about ten minutes, and in fifteen minutes afterwards fhe turned herfelf in the bed, declaring herfelf free from pain. Soon after this, I propoied a fecond operation, and to leave her for the evening. This being over fhe arofe from the bed and walked feveral times acrofs the room, affirming that fhe was as free from pain as ever fhe was in all her life. That night fhe refted well, and with- out pain, and the next morning by funrife mounted her horfe and rode thirty miles, fince which, I have heard nothing from her. This, together with a number of other inftances Convinces me of the great and important benefits deri- ved from a judicious application of your Metallic Inftruments. That they may have a general fpread thro' the earth, is the defire of Yours, (3c. EhENEZER JBRADFQRD. £ *6 3 CERTIFICATES. Gen. TYLER, and Mr. LORD. 1 JOHN TYLER, of Prefton, in the County of New-London and ftate of Conneaicut, hereby certify, that on or about the 17th day of June laft, I was con- fined by a wound, which I had before that time recei- ved, by cutting my right leg tranfverfely, in which I had taken cold ; and at that time the fore was in a high ftate of inflammation, and gave me great pain, to fuch a degree that I had been obliged to keep my leg in a horizontal pofition, in a chair, the moft of that day,— when Doa. Elifha Perkins, of Plainfield called on me, and having operated on me a few minutes with his pa- tent metallic inftruments, the pain in my leg wholly ceafed, and the rednefs and inflammation of the wound entirely difappeared. I was free from pain that night, and indeed the pain and inflammation both ceafed from that operation, and never returned again. And I further certify, that my wife at that time was forely affliaed with rheumatic pains in her hip, which had been upon her a number of years, and had affefcted her to fuch a degree as to render that fide fhorter than the other, and to make her unable at that time to raile herfelf from her chair without the greateft difficulty, or to walk acrofs the room without leaning on her ftaff, and with that fupport, not without the greateft inconvenience ; and Doa. Perkins operated upon her a few minutes, when fhe declared herfelf free from pain, and immediately rofe from her chair, with- .1 out any affiftance or apparent difficulty, and walked feveral times acrofs the room without her ftaff, or any j pther fupport, and has continued to this time able to walk in that manner ; not having complained of, or been troubled with pain in the night, (of which fhe C »7 3 had much complained before ;) and has truly been to all appearance, a different perfon, as to the ufe of her limbs, from the time of that operation, from what fhe had been for years before. JOHN TYLER. Preflon, July 29, 1796. I the fubfcriber was prefent at the time of the above operation, and fully concur in the above ftatement of faas by Gen. Tyler. JAMES LORD. Col. JONATHAN GLOVER. JL HIS certifies, That I vifited Dr. Elifha Per- kins about the 20th of September laft, with a violent chronic pain in one of my feet, which the Doaor by applying his Traaors removed immediately. Upon my return to Marblehead, I felt a pain as ufual, in my other foot, but which on applying the Inftruments, which I purchafed of the Docfor, was removed direaiy. I alfo applied them to Capt. Fettyplece's knee and foot, which were forely affliaed with pain, and reliev- ed him immediately. Several others I relieved of pains ; particularly a pain in a lady's arm, and the pleurify in a lady's fide. JONATHAN GLOVER. Bofton, Oaober 5, 1796. Mr. CONSTANT FREEMAN, Mailer of the Alms- Houfe, Bofton. X. HIS certifies, That Dr. Elifha Perkins, of Plainfieldj Conneaicut, vifited the Poor-Houfe of this c E '» ] Metropolis, about three weeks ago, and performed operations on feveral patients, with his celebrated Me- tallic Points ; among whom he performed his opera- tion on one John Patterfon : Me had been in this Poor-Houfe for fix months with the Rheumatifm— Two months of which he was confined to his bed— Four months he had hobbled about with crutches, when Dr. Perkins performed the operation ; fince which he has thrown afide his crutches, and walks only with a ftaff, which he ufes, not.for the Rheuma- tifm, for he has none, but merely for a fupport, as his thigh bone was then and ftill remains diflocated. Nancy Blake was alio cured, by the Doaor, of the Rheumatifm in the fmall of her back, which had con- ftantly affliaed her for more than three years. It has not yet returned. I myfelf cured Benjamin Rofs of the Rheumatifm in the fmall of his back and hip. This was ten days ago ; it has not yet returned. Lewis Dumeth, a Frenchman, was operated upon by the Doaor, for the Rheumatifm in his lower extre? mities, which had confined him to his bed and crutch- es for months ; but no fooner was he operated upon than he threw afide his crutches—walked about the houfe—has walked about the town fince, and has had no return of the Rheumatifm in either leg. CONSTANT FREEMAN. Bofton, Oaober 5, 1796. Mr. EDWARD HILL. I EDWARD HILL, of Dorchefter, in the coun- ty of Norfolk, and State of Maffachufetts, hereby cer- tify, that I have been affliaed with the Rheumatifm and Gout at times, for nine years paft, and at length to fuch a degree as to be unable to walk. But upon C >9 3 the application of Doaor Elifha Perkins's Patent Me- tallic Inftruments, I was in the courfe of two days fo recovered as to be able to walk without any pain. EDWARD HILL. We the fubfcribers were knowing to the faas as above ftated. NATHAN WEBB. RALPH POPE. Bofton, Sept. 23, 1796. Mr. NATHAN PIERCE, Mafter of the Alms-Houfe, Newburyport. S Newburyport, Oct. 28, 1796. X HIS certifies that Dr. Perkins vifited the Alms-Houfe in this town yefterday, and performed | operations with his Metallic Inftruments on three per- il fons, viz. One woman and two men, who have been grievoufly affliaed with the rheumatifm, and from the beft obfervations I have been able to make, in a fhort time, they all appear to be much relieved of their com- ' plaints. NATHAN PIERCE. | Mr. NATHAN GLOVER (3 Mr. AMOS SIMONS. 1 NATHAN GLOVER, of Plainfield, in the county of Windham and ftate of Conneaicut, certify, that for feven years paft, I have been frequently vifited with fevere turns of the Quinfey, which (notwith- Itanding the application of internal and external Z » 3 means, adminiftered by the moft fkilful neighboring phyficians) have never left me within eight or ten days. About the firft of July, 1796, I was again feverely attacked by this difeafe, and in about twenty-four hours, my throat became very much fwelled and in- flamed, and extremely painful. I was at this time vifited by Doa. Perkins, who operated on the diiea- fed part, with his Patent Metallic Inftruments. The pains after two or three operations, wholly left me, and the inflammation entirely difappeared ; the dwelling did not maturate and break as it had ufually clone, but in about twenty-four hours wholly fubfided, and my throat became perfeaiy well. The turns of the Ouinfey which I have heretofore had, though not more fevere in their firft attacks than this, have never left me fhort of the term of eight or ten days ; whereas this continued but two : And I have no doubt but it would have lafted as long as the others, had not Doa. Perkins operated with his Inftru- ments. I believe the cure to be effeaed wholly by his means. NATHAN GLOVER. Plainfeld, Augnjl 9, 1796. I the fubfcriber was refiding at the houfe of Mr. Glover, and was prefent at the above operation, and perfeaiy agree with him in his ftatement of faas. AMOS SIMONS, naga^m I Capt. JOSHUA BOTTUM. JOSHUA BOTTUM, of Plainfield, in the county of Windham and ftate of Conneaicut, certify, that I have been troubled with a rheumatic pain in my arm for four months, which was often extremely diftrefiing. Having heard much of the furprifing cf- r. *» 3 ficacy of Doft. Perkins' Patent Inftruments, but being myfelf an unbeliever in this method of removing pains, in confequenceof the fuggeftions of .his enemies, I negleaed ufing his means, until on or about the 15th of July, when I myfelf operated on my pained arm about fix minutes, and to my utter furprize, the pain entirely ceafed, and has never returned. I have eve- ry reafon to believe that a radical cure was effeaed by that one operation. JOSHUA BOTTUM. Plainfeld, Augufl 5, 1796. Mr. and Mrs. SNOW. 1 ELIZABETH SNOW, of Plainfield, in the ftate of Conneaicut, certify that in the month of June, 1795, I was forely affliaed with pains in -the ancles, which had fettled there after a fevere fit of ficknefs, and had troubled me to fuch a degree that I became very weak and emaciated. In this unhappy fituation I continued about three months, until in the month and year above-mentioned, I applied to Doaor Elifha Perkins who vifited me and operated on the pained part of my ancles, with his Metallic Inftru- ments. Immediately the pain ceafed and has never iince returned. I am perfuaded a radical cure was at that time effeaed. ELIZABETH SNOW. Plainfeld, Augufl 3, 1796. I the fubfcriber, fully concur with my wife, in the above ftatement of faas. ABRAHAM SNOW. [ « 3 Capt. CYRUS SPAULDING. 1 CYRUS SPAULDING, of Plainfield, in the ftate of Conneaicut, certify, that from the month of May, to the month of July, 1795, I was in a debilita- ted ftate* and was affliaed with almoft a conftant pain acrofs the fmall of my back, which at times was very fevere. In the month of July, I applied to Doaor El'fha Perkins, for phyfical aid : He propofed remov- ing my pairi with his metallic inftruments, without any internal application. As I was far from having any faith in fuch apparently fimple means, 1 treated them , with ridicule. However, I confented to his operating ' on the affected part ; when in a few minutes, to my great aftonifhment, the pain wholly left me, and has never fince returned. CYRUS SPAULDING. Plainfield, Auguft 10, 1796. Rev. JOEL BENEDICT. A JOEL BENEDICT, of Plainfield, certify, that I was prefent at the time that Capt. Cyrus Spaulding was eafed of pain by Doa. Perkins, as certified above; and that I have alfo myfelf feveral times removed pains of differerft kinds by his Patent Metallic Inftruments. Cures performed in this way appear to me as real, and no more liable to a relapfe, than thofe by any other means. The cure of an accidental fcald I have my- felf experienced. The pain was relieved in'a few mi- minutes, the forenefs foon left it and the cure was J] entire. I am perfuaded that the invention is import- 1* ant, and will be of great benefit to mankind. | JOEL BENEDICT, Paftor of a church in Plainfield, Auguft 10, 1796. t *3 3 Rev. LEVI HART. JL HIS may certify that the fubfcriber has been a witnefs to the fuccefsful application of Doa. Per- kins's Patent Metallic Inftruments, in the removal of rheumatic pains and head aches ; and in repeated inftances he has feen exquifite pain occafioned by con- tufions, removed in a few moments, by the applica- tion of the Inftruments. From perfonal obfervation, and the information of others, he is fully fatisfied of the utility and impor- tance of the difcovery for the relief of human diftrefs in various complaints. LEVI HART. Preflon, Nov. 4, 1796. Rev. SOLOMON MORGAN. JL HEREBY certify, whom it may concern, that I have had opportunity of making ufe of Dr. Elifha Perkins's Traaors, in cafes of pain in the head, and burns, and have fucceeded to the relief of the patients; and from what I have heard from others, I believe that faid Traaors are ufeful to the removing of many of the pains to which we are fubjea, and think that a more general ufe of them, may be for the benefit of mankind. SOLOMON MORGAN, Paftor of the firft church in Canterbury. Augufl 10, 1796. Rev. MICAIAH PORTER. 1 MICAIAH PORTER, of Voluntown, in the county of Windham and ftate of Conneaicut, certify, that I have myfelf made repeated experiments with E «4 3 Do&or Perkins' Metallic Inftruments, for removing pains and inflammations ; that I have almoft invaria- ably fucceeded to my own aftonifhment, in curing head aches, teeth aches, rheumatifms and burns : In other complaints, I have not had opportunity for tri- al : But I am fully convinced, from my own experi- ments, and from what I have known of others, that this method of removing pains and inflammations from human bodies, is a very important difcovery, and that it muft contribute very much to alleviate the diftreffes and infirmities to which our frail bodies are fo liable. MICAIAH PORTER, Paftor of the firft church in Voluntown. Augufl 9, 1796. Rev. Dr. BARNARD, of Salem. X CERTIFY that on or about the firft of No- vember laft, a lady of between fixty and feventy years of age, vifiting at my houfe, had one of her ringers fo contraaed for feven years, that fhe could not open it without the afliftance of the other hand.— On my operating on it with Doaor Perkins' Metallic Points, the difficulty was removed fo that fhe opened it as her other fingers. I have had direa information from her three weeks fince the operation, and her fin- ger continued well. I further certify that at the fame time I cured a whitlow on one of her thumbs, with one operation. From what I have done, feen and heard, I am fully fatisfied that the difcovery is impor- tant to the healing art. THOMAS BARNARD, December 6, 1796. C 25 ] Rev. Mr. SPAULDING, of Salem. A HIS may certify, that the fubfcriber, in his vjiits among his people, has ufed Doaor Perkins's Metallic Points, to relieve pains and inflammations of various kinds, and has fucceeded to his aftonifh- ment : They have feldom failed to relieve the head- ach, teeth-ach, ague in the face, inflammation of the eyes, cramp, cholic, rheumatifm, pains in tl>e breaft and fide, biles, fcalds and burns : Sometimes there has been a perfea cure from one operation. A lad who had been confined three days with high fymptoms of a fever, very hot and full of pain, by an operation of * the Points, defigned to relieve his head ; his face turn- ed pale and cold, his fever and pain immediately left him, and in a few days he was out of doors ; the year before, at the fame feafon, he was taken with the fame fymptoms, and lay extremely fick forty days. The efficacy of the Metallic Points has gained great credit in this town. JOSHUA SPALDING. Dec. 5, ijqG. Rev. CALEB BRADLEY, and Dr. JAMES GOSS. V V E the fubfcribers, of Gloucefter, in the county of Effex, and ftate of Maffachufetts. certify that we this day faw Doaor Perkins's Patent Metallic Points applied with fuccefs on a child of Mr. James 1 Smith, fifteen months old, which had been about an hour before the application very feverely fcalded, by falling into boiling fat, with one hand and arm ; on '.j which large blifters were raifed. After a few minutes '] D & 26 j operation/the FeSftefs and fire armofl"wholly difap- peared, and the child appeared to be eafed of pam. • • ni JAMES GO&S, Phyfician. / "^ n: CALEB BRADLEY, Preacher of .the Gofpel. Gioucefter, Ofto* 19, 1796. • <-•< . tu. 1 -m - ,'.ie • o „_____ ' ''-'Tn .■''■niJ '■'->"- • •' **J -btv:: ju jiu\^- 1 ■ a'" ' ■ ' ">" -■••< -,:' '*'J r Rev. JOSEPH DANA. } : HE following is a tranfcript of minutes, ta- ken hy the Rev, Mr. Dana, of Ipfwich, containing a -number (though not the whole) of cafes in that town, where the fubjeas have received very fenfible and im-, mediate relief from Dr» Perkins's Metallic; Points— from the 21ft to the 24th of Q&bber, 1756. Capt. D. R. Old rheumatic pain and inflamed eye; Capt. E. K. An inflamed painful leg; Capt. T. H. Fixed pain in the breaft, of long ftanding ; Capt. N. K. Pairi in the back ; Mifs H. Old rheumatic pain ; Mr. W. D. Old ftrain in the fhoulder, attended with ftiffnefs and pain ; Mr. J. S. Strained hand with pain; Wife of Capt. A. S. Rheumatifm of roo^ ftanding ; Mr. J. S. Violent head-ach ; Mr. D. The fame ; Mr. E. Swollen inflamed fecuife ;.. Mr. & Teeth-ach ; Mr. N. L. do. Mrs. M. J. Diftrefs at her breaft; Mifs H, J. Inflamed eye ; Mr. J. W. Pain in the fide ; Mrs. W. Violent ijeacjl-aeh ; xMr. W. A. Fftot bruifed and fwollen ; Mrs. A. Swelling in the neck ; Mifs A. B. Pain in the fbw*icters and breaft?; Wrife of Major C. S. Pain in her limhs, &C. Rr. B. Old rfcumaufab•? * Gapt. D. G. Rheumatifm; Mrs. T. do. Rev. ELHANAN WINCHESTER. X CERTIFY that on the 21ft of. March, 1796, ' I faw Doa. Perkins' method .of cure by pointed Me* [ a7 3 !*tallic Inftruments, tried with fuccefs, upon feveral patients in the poor-houfe or bettering houfe in Phi- ladelphia ; efpecially upon a man who was unable to lift his right hand to his head, as was tried beforehand, but who after a few minutes operation, was able to remove it at pleafure. and in my .-fight, put it with eafe on the top of his head and back of his week, ar*d in all direaions. '■'» Nearly the fame effea took place upon a woman ; and all that I law treated, profefled that their pains ceafed after being treated a fhort time : And feveral came voluntarily, and in my hearing, thanked the Doaor for cures he had performed on them about eight weeks before, in removing pains from them, which they declared had not fince returned. So that from what I few with mine own eyes, and what I have heard, I have great hopes that this method will great- ly tend to alleviate the miferies of mankind. A t ELHANAN WINCHESTER. Philadelphia, April 4, 1796, Doctor JAREB DY&R, Member of the Medical Society of the State of Con- neaicut, and Surgeon to the 21ft Regiment. T — ' X CERTIFY, that for feven years paft, I have been troubled with almoft a coriftant rheumatic pain in my fhoulder. For the two laft years it has gradu- ally increafed; till it became very di ft renin g, and has been attended with a ftiffnefs, to fuch a degree that I could not raife my hand to tire top of my head with- out great difficulty. On or about the 18th June laft, myfelf operated on my fhoulder when it was in ex- treme pain, with Doaor Perkins^ Patent Traaors.— The pain, to my.great furprife, wholly left me with- in fix minute*, and my (bowlder wete fbon freed from E 28 ] its former ftifnefs, fo that I could move that arm and fhoulder with the fame eafe, that I could the other..— The pain has but once returned and then very lightly, in confequence of fevere exercife : It was immediate- ly removed by applying the traaors. I further certify, that I have been affliaed with a pain in my head for twenty years paft. It has ufually come on in the fore part of the day, and continued ten or twelve hours. Has often been very diflreffing. About the time of the above operation, I applied the inllluments to my head, when in fevere pain. I was in a few minutes eafed. and the pain has not yet re- v turned. For three years before this operation, I do not think I have been three week& at a time free from this complaint. From what I have experienced, and heard of the efficacy of Doaor Perkins's Inftruments, I doubt not but they will prove of great utility toman- kind. JAREB DYER, Phyfician. Canterbury, April 11, 1796. Doctor T. BACKUS, Member of the Medical Society, of the State of Conneaicut. X THE fubferiber was called on the 4th inftant, to attend a patient, by the name of James Crawfon, who for the term of nearly five years, has been fre- quently troubled with a fpecies of epileptic fits. When I firft law him, he had experienced in the courfe of the day, about twelve, each of which ufually held him nearly fifteen minutes. At the commencement oi one of them, I took from him about fourteen oun- ces of blood ; but di (covering no happy effea, lap- plied Doaor Perkins's patent Metallic Inftruments to his right leg, in which, he ufually experienced the C 2s 3 firft attack of his fits. The whole leg immediately be- came limber and free from fpalms, and he foon re- vived without fuffering a general convulfion. AbtHit twenty minutes after, I being out of his room, was in- formed that the fymptoms of another fit appeared, and before I could operate on him, he was umverfally convulfed with an entire lofs of reafon. I then appli- ed the inftruments to his right leg, fix or eight ftrokes-, [ when the fpafms immediately ceafed, and he recover- ed his reafon. In a fhort time, he was feized with another, which was removed very much in the man- ner of the laft, the inftruments not being applied until a general convulfion had taken place. I then feated myfelf on his bed, that I might be enabled to apply the means more feafonably. Here I very fbondi fco- vered the fymptoms again, but by applying the inftru- ments, the fymptoms immediately difappeared. Se- veral others at intervals, commenced with their ufual fymptoms, by fo contraaing and cramping the right "leg, that the utmoft exertions of two men were fcarce- ly able to ftraighten it, each of which were in lefs than a minute, removed by five or fix ftrokes of the inftru- ments, before they had extended to the other parts of the body, the leg almoft inftantaneoufly becoming per- feaiy lax. By the requeft of a number of gentlemen, who were then prefent, when the fymptoms of one appeared, I ceafed to operate^ that.we might determine whether the above operations had prevented the general con- vulfions, which before the applications of the inftru- ments, had always fucceeded the firft attack in his leg. Immediately he fell into a fevere fit, which appeared in one univerfal fpafm. In this fituation, I luffered him to continue a few minutes, .when by applying the inftruments to his ley; again, in lefs than one minute he was entirely free from any kind of fpafm, and im- mediately recovered his reafon. I ftili continued by his fide, and prevented feveral other general attacks E 3° 3 by operating with the inftruments at the beginning of the fymptoms. About one hour and an half after tne | firft operation, the fits entirely fubfided. He became J very eafy and experienced none of thofe difagreeable | feniations, which he ever had after former attacks of this kind. He informs that he had ufually been afflic- i ted with thefe fits except at. a few intervals, aboitf ,, twenty four hours from the time they firft commence^, and it is prefumed the application of the Metallic In- ftruments,. not, only fhortened the fits, but leffeije$l I their number, and-at this time they continued not j] more than nine or. ten hours from their firft commence^ \ ment, and about an hour and an half af|££ the firft ap- ' plication of the inftruments. He further obferves^ ' that he has discovered none of that debility whicfi had univerfally fucceeded his former, attacks, and con- tinues to this day'enjoying better health than ufual. THOMAS BACKUS, Phyfician. We the fubfcribers were prefent at the above ope- rations and fully agree with Doaor Backus, in his , ftatement of facts. CHARLES MILLER, JOHN LESTER, PHINEHAS KINDAL, JOHN PIKE, RECOMPENCE HALY. Plainfield, Augufl 9, 1796. Doctor EBENEZER ROBINSON. JL HEREBY certify, that I have been acquainted j with Doa or Perkins's method of removing pains and ! inflammations by pointed Metallic Inftruments, for near a year : That I have frequently operated myfelf, and have generally had fuccefs in removing pains and ! inflammations of various kinds ; among which, are pains of the head, burns, and rheumatifms,—that i L" a' 3 have full confidence in the efficacy of the means, an£ that it is a very valuable difcovery. EBENEZER ROBINSON. Plainfield, Augufl 10, 1796/ 'l! 1 ml I 111 I 11......UiM Windham County, Auguft 16,, 1796. WE the fubfcribers certify, that from a vari* ety of cafes, which have occurred, not only in our own praaice, but in that of our neighboring phyfi- cians, we are fully convinced of the utility of Dr. Per- kins's patent Metallic Inftruments, in removing va* rious pains, fpafrns and inflammatoiy affeaions from; the human, body, and that the difcovery is impgrtarifc to the healing art. t) *r v, Fellows of the *ELiSHA LORD,, f Medical * JOfiN BREWSTER, J Convention. THOMAS HUBBARD, Member of the Medical Society. * When this Certificate was given, Dolors Baker, Hall, Lord, Brewfter, and the Author of she Metallic difcovery, reprefented the County of Windham ij* thii Conu^aicut Medical Convention. ♦JOSEPH BAKER, v * JONATHAN HALL, "e Nrimes and Places of he Transfers, and C 3* ^ £a8ori Reed & Andrew; do. do. Mr. John Punchardy .Salem, do. Doctor Phelps, Cape-Ann, do. Mr. Samuel Dana, Ipfwjck,; .-de. " • Doctor Charles. Qjoffm, Nfmkurypor^ do. Doctor Ebenezer Alden, Randolph, do. _ Rev. Dott»r Robbins, Plymouth, do."v'' _ . — Doctor Howland Dawes, Cummington, do. Rev:'John Smith', Dighton, do. Doctor J'ofeph Trumbull, Peierfham, do. Doctor Seth Field, Brbokfeld, do. Mr. John Ruggles, Berry, -^ do. Doctor Thomas Babbit, Brookfeld, dor. - ^ Mr.-Samuel Satterlee, Williamjfawn, do. V Rev. Doctor Dean, Portland, Proviitte of Maine. Rev. Mr. Kellogg, do. i do: ' v "*■ Rev. Thomas-Motley, do. do. ',.:•* Rev. Alfred Joh%fon,\reeport, do. ' Mr. Jeremiah F. Jenkins; 'Providence, Rhode-Ifland*. George R. Burrill+ Efj. do. Capt. William Ladd, Newport, do. Rev. Henry Wight, Brifiol; do. Ifaac Beers, Efq. New-Haven, Connecticut. ^ , Elijah Munfon, M. I), do. JJ j)r. Dwell Morgan, Hartford, do. Dr. Samuel H. P. Lee, New-London, do. William S. Hart, Efq. Norwich. Daniel L. Coit, Efq,"' do. Dr. Lee, fun. Windham. Rev. Mr. Chafe, Litch-*S Dr. Jofeph Baker, r n-,. 'lonalLi- ?T 11. r' H^a. 4-1 isb. 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