Letter To Dr Ingenhausz 16 May 1783 On An Electrical Experiment From Memoirs Of The Life And Writings Of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin comments on the results of an electricity experiment conducted by Ingenhausz.

Benjamin Franklin comments on past experiments with electricity. As his final advice, he writes, "I see you are endowed with a genius for the study of nature, and I would recommend it to you to employ your time rather in making experiments than in making hypothesis and forming imaginary systems, which we are all to apt to please ourselves with till some experiments comes, and unluckily destroys them."

Benjamin Franklin touches upon a number of subjects in this response to Ingenhausz. He includes an anecdote about himself receiving an electric shock; describes and advocates use of electric shock therapy on "epileptic and other poor patients" as well as "on mad people"; mentions a clock he had designed; explains an experiment investigating the effect of gravity; and mentions an idea about tides. Franklin refers a number of times to how busy he is at age 80 and concludes with the thought that "celebrity may for a while flatter one's vanity, but its effects are troublesome."

Benjamin Franklin explains his theory of positively and negatively charged clouds, and describes an experiment designed to investigate the same.

Benjamin Franklin, writing from Paris, gives his brief reactions to reported experiments by Volta that, Franklin says, appear to replicate the Leyden jars. He questions whether the electric charge can, indeed, be preserved for years, as claimed.

Benjamin Franklin describes the physiological effects of an accidental electric shock he received when he was "about to kill a turkey by the shock from two large glass jars." Writing two nights later he says that "nothing remains now of this shock but a soreness in my breast-bone, which feels as if it had been bruised."

Benjamin Franklin writes to comment on a machine sent to him with an accompanying pamphlet about electrical experiments. He responds to Nairn's letter with a brief anecdote about the effect of lightning on animals. Then he encloses a lengthier letter begun three years earlier on the subject of hygrometers. Nairn had built and given Franklin a mahogany box for magnets some 20 years earlier. Franklin found that that the contents fit better or worse depending on the different ambient humidity in England, Pennsylvania, or France. He proposes Nairn build a set of hygrometers from the same wood so that they could be sent to different countries and that the different mean moisture or dryness could be determined.

Benjamin Franklin encourages Ingenhausz in his scientific pursuits. Franklin then suggests some things to try should the latter's experiments on heat transfer in wires be repeated.

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