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Metallic-Tractors

1801
James Gillray (British, 1756–1815) Published by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street, London (British, c. 1745–1818)
Here an operator applies metallic tractors to ease the pain caused by the carbuncles on a red-nosed patient resembling John Bull, the traditional personification of Great Britain. The tractors were brass and iron instruments patented in the United States by Elisha Perkins (1741-1799), a Connecticut physician, who claimed that his invention could draw out disease by electrical force.

Object Details

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