An extract of the minutes of the Royal Society, of February 19, 1746.

  • Royal Society (Great Britain)
Date:
1746]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An extract of the minutes of the Royal Society, of February 19, 1746. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    j4n Extract of //^Minutes of the Royal Society, ^February 19, 1746. ♦ * Fhe Prejident in the Chair. THE Prefident read a Paper, containing an Account of fome magnetical Experiments which he, in Company with Williamj'onej,Efq; law on Wednej'day the 1 ith of this inifant Fe¬ bruary, at the Houfe of Dr. Gowin K?ught. The Doftor, he fays, having produced two fquare Bars of harden’d Steel, of the Length of about j 5 Inches, and of the Breadth and Thick- nefs of about half an Inch, and to which he had communicated a ftrong magnetic Virtue, laid thofe Bars down upon a Table, fo as to be nearly in a ftrait Line, the North Pole of the one being next to the South Pole of the other, and at the Diftance of about half an Inch from it. A fmall flat Piece of natural Loadftone was then placed between thefe Bars, fo as to be in Contact with the Ends of them both, that were next to each other; where when it had only remained a few Moments, it was found that upon taking it out, the Part of the Stone which had been contiguous to the North Pole of the Bar, attrafted the North End of a Compafs Needle, and that the Part of the Stone which had been contiguous to the South Pole of the other Bar, attracted in like Manner the South End of the fame Compafs Needle; and this in y/hatever Pofition the natural Loadftone was