Volume 3

The history and present state of electricity, with original experiments / [Joseph Priestley].

  • Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804
Date:
1775
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history and present state of electricity, with original experiments / [Joseph Priestley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    175/556 (page 131)
    height above the water. One end of this wire communicated with the coating of a charged phial, the other being held by an obferver, who, in his other hand, held an iron rod, which he dipped into the river. On the oppofite fide of the river, flood a gentle-* man, who, likewife, dipped an iron rod in the river, with one hand; and in the other' held a wire, the extremity of which might be brought into contadl with the wire of the phial. Upon making the difcharge, the fhock was felt by the obfervers on both fides the river* but more fenfibly by thofe who were Ration¬ ed on the fame fide with the machine; part r of the electric fire having gone from the wire down the moift Rones of the bridge, thereby making feveral fhorter circuits to the phial; but ftill all paffing through the gentlemen who were Rationed on the fame fide with the machine. This was* in a manner, demon- flrated by fome perfons feeling a fenfible fliock in their arms and feet, who only hap^ pened to touch the wire, at the time of one of the difcharges, when they were handing up¬ on the \tet Reps which led to the river. In, one of the difcharges made upon this occafion* fpirits were kindled by the fire which had gone through the river *. Upon this, and the fuhfequent occafions, the gentlemen made ufe of wires, in pre^ ♦Phil. Tranf. abridged, Vol x. p 394. K 2 ference