“Thosewhohaveindividuallystatedcases，orwhohavepresentedtheirnamestothepublicasmenwhoapprovedofthisremedy，andacknowledgedthemselvesinstrumentalincirculatingtheTractors，arefifty-sixinnumber；thirty-fourofwhomarephysiciansandsurgeons，andmanyofthemofthefirsteminence，thirteenclergymen，mostofwhomaredoctorsofdivinity，andconnectedwiththeliteraryinstitutionsofAmerica；amongtheremainderaretwomembersofCongress，oneprofessorofnaturalphilosophyinacollege，etc。，etc。“ItseemedtobetakenratherhardlybyMr。Perkinsthatthetranslatorsoftheworkwhichheedited，incitingthenamesoftheadvocatesoftheMetallicPractice，frequentlyomittedthehonorarytitleswhichshouldhavebeenannexed。ThetestimonialswereobtainedbytheDanishwriter，fromapamphletpublishedinAmerica，inwhichthesetitlesweregiveninfull。Thusoneofthesetestimonialsisfrom“JohnTyler，Esq。，amagistrateinthecountyofNewLondon，andlateBrigadier-GeneralofthemilitiainthatState。“The“omissionoftheGeneral’stitle“isthesubjectofcomplaint，asifthistitleweresufficientevidenceofthecommandingpowersofoneofthepatronsoftractoration。Asimilarcomplaintismadewhen“CalvinGoddard，Esq。，ofPlainfield，AttorneyatLaw，andamemberoftheLegislatureoftheStateofConnecticut，“
　　ismentionedwithouthistitularhonors，andevenonaccountoftheomissionoftheproperofficialtitlesbelongingto“NathanPierce，Esq。，GovernorandManageroftheAlmshouseofNewburyport。“Theseinstancesshowthegreatimportancetobeattachedtocivilandmilitarydignities，inqualifyingtheirholderstojudgeofscientificsubjects，atruthwhichhasnotbeenoverlookedbythelegitimatesuccessorsofthePerkinists。InGreatBritain，theTractorswerenotlesshonoredthaninAmerica，bythelearnedandtheillustrious。The“PerkinisticCommittee“madethisstatementintheirreport：“Mr。Perkinshasannuallylaidbeforethepublicalargecollectionofnewcasescommunicatedtohimforthatpurposebydisinterestedandintelligentcharacters，fromalmosteveryquarterofGreatBritain。Inregardtothecompetencyofthesevouchers，itwillbesufficientsimplytostatethat，amongstotherswhosenameshavebeenattachedtotheircommunications，areeightprofessors，infourdifferentuniversities，twenty-oneregularPhysicians，nineteenSurgeons，thirtyClergymen，twelveofwhomareDoctorsofDivinity，andnumerousothercharactersofequalrespectability。“
　　ItcannotbutexciteournoticeandsurprisethatthenumberofclergymenbothinAmericaandGreatBritainwhothrustforwardtheirevidenceonthismedicaltopicwassingularlylargeinproportiontothatofthemembersofthemedicalprofession。WholepagesarecontributedbysuchworthiesastheRev。Dr。TrotterofHansPlace，theRear。WaringWillett，ChaplaintotheEarlofDunmore，theRev。
　　Dr。Clarke，ChaplaintothePrinceofWales。Thestyleofthesetheologico-medicalcommunicationsmaybeseeninthefollowingfromadivinewhowasalsoprofessorinoneofthecollegesofNewEngland。
　　“IhaveusedtheTractorswithsuccessinseveralothercasesinmyownfamily，andalthough，likeNaamantheSyrian，IcannottellwhythewatersofJordanshouldbebetterthanAbanaandPharpar，riversofDamascus；yetsinceexperiencehasprovedthemso，noreasoningcanchangetheopinion。Indeed，thecausesofallcommonfactsare，wethink，perfectlywellknowntous；anditisveryprobable，fiftyorahundredyearshence，weshallaswellknowwhytheMetallicTractorsshouldinafewminutesremoveviolentpains，aswenowknowwhycantharidesandopiumwillproduceoppositeeffects，namely，weshallknowverylittleabouteitherexceptingfacts。“Fiftyorahundredyearshence！ifhecouldhavelookedforwardfortyyears，hewouldhaveseenthedescendantsofthe“Perkinistic“philosophersswallowinginfinitesimalglobules，andknowingandcaringasmuchabouttheTractorsasthepeopleatSaratogaSpringsdoaboutthewatersofAbanaandPharpar。
　　Itrustitwillnotbethoughtinanydegreedisrespectfultoaprofessionwhichweallhonor，thatIhavementionedthegreatzealofmanyclergymeninthecauseofPerkinism。Ihope，too，thatImaywithoutoffencesuggestthecauseswhichhaveoftenledthemoutoftheirownprovinceintoonetowhichtheireducationhasnospecialreference。Themembersofthatprofessionoughttobe，andcommonlyare，personsofbenevolentcharacter。Theirdutiescarrythemintothemidstoffamilies，andparticularlyattimeswhenthemembersofthemaresufferingfrombodilyillness。Itisnaturalenoughthatastrongdesireshouldbeexcitedtoalleviatesufferingswhichmayhavedefiedtheeffortsofprofessionalskill；asnaturalthatanyremedywhichrecommendsitselftothebelieforthefancyofthespiritualphysicianshouldbeappliedwiththehopeofbenefit；andperfectlycertainthattheweaknessofhumannature，fromwhichnoprofessionisexempt，willleadhimtotakethemostflatteringviewofitseffectsuponthepatient；hisownsagacityandjudgmentbeingstakeduponthesuccessofthetrial。TheinventoroftheTractorswasawareofthesetruths。HethereforesenttheTractorsgratuitouslytomanyclergymen，accompaniedwithaformalcertificatethattheholderhadbecomeentitledtotheirpossessionbythepaymentoffiveguineas。Thiswaspractisedinourownneighborhood，andIrememberfindingoneofthesecertificates，sopresented，whichprovedthatamongsttherisksofinfancyIhadtoencounterPerkins’sTractors。TwoclergymenofBostonandthevicinity，bothwellknowntolocalfame，gaveintheirtestimonytothevalueoftheinstrumentsthuspresentedtothem；anunusuallymoderateproportion，whenitisrememberedthattothecommonmotivesofwhichIhavespokenwasaddedtheseductionofagiftforwhichtheprofanepublicwasexpectedtopaysolargely。
　　Itwasremarkable，also，thatPerkinism，whichhadsolittlesuccesswiththemedicalandscientificpartofthecommunity，foundgreatfavorintheeyesofitsmorelovelyandlessobstinateportion。
　　“TheladyofMajorOxholin，“——IquotefromMr。Perkins’svolume，——
　　“havingbeenlatelyinAmerica，hadseenandheardmuchofthegreateffectsofPerkinism。Influencedbyamostbenevolentdisposition，shebroughttheseTractorsandthepamphletwithhertoEurope，withalaudabledesireofextendingtheirutilitytohersufferingcountrymen。“SuchwasthechannelbywhichtheTractorswereconveyedtoDenmark，wheretheysoonbecametherulingpassion。
　　Theworkmen，saysaFrenchwriter，couldnotmanufacturethemfastenough。Womencarriedthemabouttheirpersons，anddelightedinbringingthemintogeneraluse。TowhatextenttheTractorswerefavoredwiththepatronageofEnglishandAmericanladies，itisofcoursenoteasytosay，exceptongeneralprinciples，astheirnameswerenotbroughtbeforethepublic。ButoneofDr。Haygarth’sstoriesmayleadustoconjecturethattherewasaclassoffemalepractitionerswhowentaboutdoinggoodwiththeTractorsinEnglandaswellasinDenmark。Acertainladyhadthemisfortunetohaveaspotasbigasasilverpennyatthecornerofhereye，causedbyabruise，orsomesuchinjury。Anotherlady，whowasafriendofhers，andastrongbelieverinPerkinism，wasveryanxioustotrytheeffectsoftractorationuponthisunfortunateblemish。Thepatientconsented；thelady“producedtheinstruments，and，afterdrawingthemfourorfivetimesoverthespot，declaredthatitchangedtoapalercolor，andonrepeatingtheuseofthemafewminuteslonger，thatithadalmostvanished，andwasscarcelyvisible，anddepartedinhightriumphathersuccess。“Theladywhounderwenttheoperationassuredthenarrator“thatshelookedintheglassimmediatelyafter，andthatnottheleastvisiblealterationhadtakenplace。“
　　Itwouldbeaveryinterestingquestion，whatwastheintellectualcharacterofthosepersonsmostconspicuousinbehalfofthePerkinisticdelusion？Suchaninquirymightbringtolightsomeprincipleswhichwecouldhereafterapplytothestudyofotherpopularerrors。Buttheobscurityintowhichnearlyalltheseenthusiastshavesubsidedrendersthequestioneasiertoaskthantoanswer。Ibelieveitwouldhavebeenfoundthatmostofthesepersonswereofardenttemperamentandofconsiderableimagination，andthattheirhistorywouldshowthatPerkinismwasnotthefirstnorthelasthobby-horsetheyrodefuriously。Manyofthemmayveryprobablyhavebeenpersonsofmorethancommontalent，ofactiveandingeniousminds，ofversatilepowersandvariousacquirements。Such，forinstance，wastheestimablemantowhomIhaverepeatedlyreferredasawarmdefenderoftractoration，andabitterassailantofitsenemies。Thestorytellsitselfinthebiographicalprefacetohispoem。HewenttoLondonwiththeviewofintroducingahydraulicmachine，whichheandhisVermontfriendsregardedasaveryimportantinvention。Hefound，however，thatthemachinewasalreadyincommonuseinthatmetropolis。AbrotherYankee，theninLondon，hadstartedtheprojectofamill，whichwastobecarriedbythewateroftheThames。Hewassanguineenoughtopurchaseonefifthofthisconcern，whichalsoprovedafailure。Ataboutthesameperiodhewrotetheworkwhichprovedthegreatexcitementofhisminduponthesubjectofthetransientfollythenbeforethepublic。Originallyalawyer，hewasinsuccessionamechanician，apoet，andaneditor，meetingwithfarlesssuccessineachofthesedepartmentsthanusuallyattendsmenoflessvariedgifts，butofmoretranquilandphlegmaticcomposition。ButwhoisignorantthatthereisaclassofmindscharacterizedbyqualitieslikethoseI
　　havementioned；mindswithmanybrightandevenbeautifultraits；butaimlessandfickleasthebutterfly；thatsettleuponeverygayly-
　　coloredillusionasitopensintoflower，andflutterawaytoanotherwhenthefirsthasdroppeditsleaves，andstandsnakedintheicyairoftruth！
　　Letusnowlookatthegeneraltenoroftheargumentsaddressedbybelieverstoscepticsandopponents。Foremostofall，emblazonedattheheadofeverycolumn，loudestshoutedbyeverytriumphantdisputant，heldupasparamounttoallotherconsiderations，stretchedlikeanimpenetrableshieldtoprotecttheweakestadvocateofthegreatcauseagainsttheweaponsoftheadversary，wasthatomnipotentmonosyllablewhichhasbeenthepatrimonyofcheatsandthecurrencyofdupesfromtimeimmemorial，——Facts！Facts！Facts！
　　FirstcamethepublishedcasesoftheAmericanclergymen，brigadier-
　　generals，almshousegovernors，representatives，attorneys，andesquires。ThencamethepublishedcasesofthesurgeonsofCopenhagen。ThenfollowedreportsofaboutonehundredandfiftycasespublishedinEngland，“demonstratingtheefficacyofthemetallicpracticeinavarietyofcomplaintsbothuponthehumanbodyandonhorses，etc。“ButtheprogressoffactsinGreatBritaindidnotstophere。Letthosewhorelyuponthenumbersoftheirtestimonials，asbeingalonesufficienttoprovethesoundnessandstabilityofamedicalnovelty，digestthefollowingfromthereportofthePerkinisticCommittee。“Thecasespublished[inGreatBritain]amounted，inMarchlast，thedateofMr。Perkins’slastpublication，toaboutfivethousand。SupposingthatnotmorethanonecureinthreehundredwhichtheTractorshaveperformedhasbeenpublished，andtheproportionisprobablymuchgreater，itwillbeseenthatthenumber，toMarchlast，willhaveexceededonemillionfivehundredthousand！“
　　Nextinorderaftertheappealtowhatwerecalledfacts，cameaseriesofarguments，whichhavebeensolongbruisedandbatteredroundinthecauseofeverydoctrineorpretension，new，monstrous，ordeliriouslyimpossible，thateachofthemisasodiouslyfamiliartothescientificscholarasthefacesofsomanyoldacquaintances，amongthelessreputableclasses，totheofficersofpolice。
　　Nodoubtmanyofmyhearerswillrecognize，inthefollowingpassages，argumentstheymayhaveheardbroughtforwardwithtriumphantconfidenceinbehalfofsomedoctrinenotyetextinct。Nodoubtsomemayhavehonestlythoughttheyprovedsomething；mayhaveusedthemwiththepurposeofconvincingtheirfriends，orofsilencingtheopponentsoftheirfavoritedoctrine，whateverthatmightbe。ButanytrainofargumentswhichwascontrivedforPerkinism，whichwasjustasapplicabletoitastoanyothernewdoctrineinthesamebranchofscience，andwhichwasfullyemployedagainstitsadversariesfortyyearssince，might，incommoncharity，besufferedtoslumberinthegraveofPerkinism。Whetherornotthefollowingsentences，takenliterallyfromtheworkofMr。Perkins，weretheoriginalsofsomeoftheidlepropositionswehearbandiedaboutfromtimetotime，letthosewholistenjudge。
　　Thefollowingisthetestassumedforthenewpractice：“Ifdiseasesarereallyremoved，asthosepersonswhohavepractisedextensivelywiththeTractorsdeclare，itshouldseemtherewouldbebutlittledoubtoftheirbeinggenerallyadopted；butifthenumerousreportsoftheirefficacywhichhavebeenpublishedareforgeries，orareunfounded，thepracticeoughttobecrushed。“TothisImerelyadd，ithasbeencrushed。