Comments on and Corrections to “Science in the Looking Glass” commentary66.tex

p2,-7 The fluid model of electricity is not simply folk-lore. It was proposed independently in 1747 by William Watson in London and Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. It had the important consequence of implying the conservation of the total quantity of electricity. Both took advantage of the recent invention of the ‘Leyden jar’ for storing electricity when conducting their experiments. Benjamin Franklin’s research culminated in his publication of ‘Experiments and Observations on Electricity’ in 1751. He was also responsible for proposing the use of lightning conductors to protect buildings.