摘要：

The word 'traction' is a derivation of the medieval Latin word tractio.It is generally accepted that W. H. Williams, an executive of the early traction engine manufacturer Hart-Parr Co. of Charles City, Iowa, pioneered the word tractor in 1906, which he extended from the original Latin terminology. But this is a misconception! In actual fact the word tractor was first introduced in the fifteenth century.Yes, I am aware there were no tractors as we know them back then. But there was a horrible gadget known as a tractor used for medical treatment that was more akin to a torture device, such as the infamous rack.It was not uncommon for adults and children to suffer from severe curvature of the spine, a form of rickets created largely by dietary deficiencies. The black art of wizardry determined that the only cure was to stretch the spine by means of a traction bed known as a tractor. This consisted of a flat wooden surface with a winding shank at each end to which ropes were attached. The unfortunate 'patient' was laid down on the bed before having his arms and feet secured by the ropes, whilst two obviously moronic muscular individuals rotated the shanks, thus tightening the ropes creating traction of the spine!

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