—Sir Gerard Noel, in presenting the Petition of Mrs. Elizabeth Pearson, of Alfred-place, Bedford-square, respecting her discovery for the cure of Scrofula or King's-evil; said, that he took much blame to himself for not having earlier introduced to the attention of the House, a subject so interesting to humanity, as an effectual remedy for a complaint so general, so afflicting, and hitherto deemed so hopeless. He held in his hand documents which most folly confirmed the allegations of the Petition. He had by him testimonials of eminent individuals of the faculty, respecting the efficacy of Mrs. Pearson's discovery; and he had himself seen a number of such astonishing cures effected by that lady, as he would not have believed, hail he not had ocular evidence of them. He should, at an early period next session, bring the subject more fully under the considera- 1087 tion of the House, but he should at present do no more than present the Petition.
The Petition was then read, and ordered to lie on the table. It sets forth, "That your petitioner having, upwards of 33 years back, been forcibly struck with the deplorable effects, and great and increasing prevalence of Scrofula or King's-evil, which had baffled the skill of the most eminent professors of physic, applied herself with unremitted assiduity to discover an efficacious remedy for that melancholy disease; and from long and laborious experiments of herbs and their medicinal powers, was happy enough to compound and prepare a poultice of vegetable, and an extract of vegetable juice, which she has fully proved, in an extensive practice of upwards of the last 20 years, completely to eradicate the said complaint, and restore to a healthy and vigorous state the constitution, where not entirely exhausted, or labouring under other disorders."