Experiments and observations tending to illustrate the nature and properties of electricity. In one letter to Martin Folkes, Esq, President, and two to the Royal Society / by William Watson.

  • William Watson
Date:
1746
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments and observations tending to illustrate the nature and properties of electricity. In one letter to Martin Folkes, Esq, President, and two to the Royal Society / by William Watson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [38 ] Man, a Sword or fuch-like, will in fnapping exert it Force upon the Spoon, and the circum-ambient Va- pour of the Camphor will be fired thereby, and light up the whole Quanti ty expofed. The fame Experi- ment fucceeds by the repulfive Power of Eledtricity. A Poker thoroughly ignited put into Spirit of Wine, or into the di- ftilled Oil of Vegetables, produces no Flame in either; it indeed occa- fions the Vapours to arife from the Oil in great Abundance. But if you elec- trify this heated Poker, the elec- trical Flafhes prefently kindle Flame in either. The Experiment is the fame with Camphor. Thefe Experiments, as well as the following, fufficiently evince, that the eledtrical Fire is truly Flame, and that extremely fub- til. I ha ve made feveral Trials in or- der to fire Gunpowder alone, which I tried