Italian sculptors, being one of the earliest to practise the art in the United States. In 1867 he was made a member of the Legion of honor, and in 1868 he became a corresponding member of the French institute. He accomplished much toward the advancement of his favorite arts in this coun- try, through his writings and lectures, and in the many offices that he filled. He was president of the Boston art club in 1869-'79, a founder and honorary director of the Boston museum of fine arts, a member of the school board of Boston in 1870-'83, one of the projectors of the Boston music hall, and president of the Handel and Haydn society in 187o-'86, whose performances he also occasionally conducted. In 1883 he began to publish a history of this society, and finished vol. i, part 1-2 (Boston, 1888-'6). It was continued after his death by John S. Dwight. Mr. Perkins met his death by being thrown from a carriage, while driving with William M. Evarts. He was widely known as an able art-critic and writer on art-topics, and was the author of "Tuscan Sculptors" (2 vols., London, 1864); "Italian Sculptors" (1868); "Art in Education" (New York, 1870); "Raphael and Michelangelo " (Boston, 1878); "Sepulchral Monuments in Italy" (New York, 1883); "Historical Hand-Book of Italian Sculptors " (1883) ; and "Ghiberti et son ecole" (Paris, 1886). He was also critical editor of John D. Champlm's "Cyclopasdia of Painters and Paintings " (4 vols.. New York, 1886-'7).
PERKINS, Elisha, physician, b. in Norwich,
Conn., 16 Jan., 1741; d. in New York city, 6 Sept.,
1799. He was educated by his father, Dr. Joseph
Perkins, in Plainfield, Conn., and began the practice
of medicine there with great success. About
1796 he invented his metallic tractors, which
consisted of two instruments, one resembling brass
and the other steel, but which he said were of a
peculiar composition of metals, three inches long,
and pointed at the ends. They were chiefly used
in local inflammations, pains in the face and head,
in rheumatism, and similar diseases. The points
of these instruments were applied to the part, and
then drawn over it for about twenty minutes in a
downward direction. This method of curing
diseases was recommended by the faculty of three
institutions of good standing in the United States,
and in Copenhagen twelve physicians and surgeons,
most of them instructors in the Royal Frederick
hospital, began a course of experiments, and gave
their opinion in favor of the new theory, which
they called “Perkinsism,” publishing the results
of their investigations in an octavo volume. In
London, where the tractors were introduced by
Dr. Perkins's son, a Perkinsian institution for the
benefit of the poor was established under the presidency
of Lord Rivers. The published cases of
cures numbered 5,000, and were certified to by
eight professors, forty physicians, and thirty clergymen.
The list of persons who claimed to have
been cured by this remedy was enormous. In 1803,
after the death of Perkins, the English physicians
began to doubt its efficacy, but the theory had
numerous defenders, and Thomas G. Fessenden
published a “Terrible Tractoration” in favor of
Perkins and as a satire on other physicians. A
short time before his death Perkins invented an
antiseptic medicine, and administered it with great
success in low states of dysentery and sore throat.
Being anxious to test its efficacy against yellow fever,
he went to New York in 1799, during an epidemic
of that disease, and, after four weeks of continuous
toil among the sick, died of the fever. He possessed
great native endowments, public spirit, and generosity,
but he cannot be cleared of the charge of
imposture
in regard to his tractors, which he pretended
were of a peculiar combination of metals, but in
reality were of brass and iron. — His son, Benjamin
Douglas, was a bookseller, and resided for some
years in England, disposing of the metallic tractors.
He published “The Influence of Metallic
Tractors on the Human Body” (London, 1798).
PERKINS, Frederic Beecher, author, b. in
Hartford, Conn., 27 Sept., 1828; d. in Brooklyn,
N. Y., 3 February, 1899. He was a member
of the class of 1850 at Yale, but left college in
1848 and began the study of law. In 1851 he
was admitted to the bar at Hartford, and a year
later he entered the Connecticut normal school,
where he was graduated the same year. He held
various posts in Hartford until 1854, in which year
he went to New York, remaining until 1857. Then,
returning to Hartford, he became assistant editor
of “Barnard's American Journal of Education,”
and was also appointed librarian of the Connecticut
historical society. Later he became secretary
of the Boston public library, and in 1880-'7 he was
librarian of the San Francisco free public library.
While there he published his “Rational Classification
of Literature for Shelving and Cataloguing
Books in a Library” (San Francisco, 1881; revised
ed., 1882). He has been editorially connected with
various papers and magazines. Among his writings
are “Scrope, or the Lost Library” (Boston,
1874); “My Three Conversations with Miss Chester”
(New York, 1877); “Devil-Puzzlers, and other
Studies” (1877); and “Charles Dickens: his Life
and Works” (1877). He has also edited or
compiled bibliographical works, notably a “Check-List
of American Local History” (Boston, 1876) and the
4th edition of “Best Reading” (New York, 1877).
PERKINS, George Hamilton, naval officer,
b. in Hopkinton, N. H., 20 Dec., 1836. His grandfather,
Roger, was an early settler of Hopkinton,
and one of the most public-spirited citizens of that
town, and his father, Judge Hamilton, was the
founder of the town of Contoocookville, N. H.
George was graduated at the U. S. naval academy
in 1856, and became 1st lieutenant in 1861. He
served with gallantry as executive officer of the
“Cayuga” at the passage of Fort St. Philip and
Fort Jackson, and at the capture of New Orleans
in April, 1862, and with Capt. Theodorus Bailey
(q. v.) received the surrender of the city, passing
through the streets in the midst of a hooting mob,
who threatened them with drawn pistols and other
weapons. He became lieutenant-commander in
December, 1862, was in charge of the gun-boat
“New London” in June, 1863, and conveyed powder
and despatches between New Orleans and
Baton Rouge, ran the batteries at Port Hudson
successfully five times, and on 9 July had a severe
skirmish with the enemy at Whitehall's point. He
was on blockading duty on the “Scioto,” of the
Gulf squadron, from July, 1863, till April, 1864,
and at that time was relieved, but volunteered
at the battle of Mobile Bay. In his official
report of that engagement Admiral Farragut
said: “I cannot give too much praise to Lieut.-Com.
Perkins, who, although he had orders to
return north, volunteered to take command of the
‘Chickasaw,’ and did his duty nobly.” He
remained in charge of that ship in the subsequent
operations that resulted in the taking of Mobile,
the reduction of Fort Powell, Fort Gaines, and
Fort Morgan. He was superintendent of iron-clads
in New Orleans in 1865-'6, became commander in
1871, was in charge of the store-ship “Relief,” to
convey contributions to the French, from September,
1871, till January, 1872, and in 1882 was com-
