Temple of Health
During a research tour of Europe in the summer of 1779 Dr Graham acquired a new patron in Lady Spencer, mother of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. In May 1780, Graham opened his first Temple of Health, housed in a magnificent building in the centre of the Adam brothers’ speculative development at the Adelphi. Here he displayed his extraordinarily elaborate electro-magnetic apparatus, treated patients with musical therapy and pneumatic chemistry as well as electricity and magnetism, published marriage guidance material, gave medical lectures and sold medicines such as “Electrical Aether” and “Nervous Aetherial Balsam.” He performed with the help of a succession of Goddesses of Health, displayed as models of physical perfection. The young Emma Hamilton (then known as Emy Lyon), who eventually became Lord Nelson's mistress, is thought to have been employed as the goddess Vestina. His gigantic porters were quickly nicknamed Gog and Magog, after the Guildhall Giants. The Temple of Health was a huge success and Graham became the talk of London, featuring in satirical plays, poems, prints and newspaper skits. During the 1780s he was publicly associated with well-known society figures such as Charles James Fox, John Wilkes, the Duke of Richmond, Admiral Keppel, the Duchess of Devonshire, leading courtesans such as Mary Darby Robinson ("Perdita") and Elizabeth Armistead, and other borderline showmen including Gustavus Katterfelto, Philip Astley and Philip de Loutherbourg.
Read more about this topic: James Graham (sexologist)
Famous quotes containing the words temple of, temple and/or health:
“After Voltaire: envy is chained to the portico of the temple of glory and can neither enter nor leave.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“The heathen are come into thine inheritance,
And thy temple have they defiled.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“The fact that the mental health establishment has equated separation with health, equated womens morality with soft-heartedness, and placed mothers on the psychological hot seat has taken a toll on modern mothers.”
—Ron Taffel (20th century)