Watson William Sir 1715 1787 (4 results)

Paperback. Condition: New.

PF. Condition: New.

8vo. pp. 1 p.l., viii, 3-59. interleaved throughout. a few old ms. corrections in the text. modern bds. (small wormholes through upper blank margin, edges of first leaves chipped). First Edition. An important work by one of the most distinguished figures of this period in the history of electricity, who was described by Priestley as "the most interested and active person in the kingdom in everything relating to [the subject]". Watson, British physician and naturalist, contributed to the 'Philosophical Transactions' during the course of his lifetime more than fifty-eight original papers on electricity, natural history and medicine, many of which are of considerable importance. In 1745 he was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal Society for his electrical research. Watson was the first to observe the flash of light from the discharge of a Leyden jar, as well as providing the first demonstration of the passage of electricity through a vacuum, and the plus and minus of electricity. The present work contains Watson's first papers on electricity, originally communicated to the Royal Society in 1745 and 1746, including accounts of his experiments relating to the ignition of warm spirits by electrical sparks, and his discovery that although ice as well as water is an 'electric' or 'non-conductor', moist air conducts, thereby explaining the failure of electrical experiments in wet weather. Sotheran 15472. cfWheeler Gift Cat. 333 (3rd Edn.: 1746).

"Dear Sir, I received very safe the volumes of the Hortus .I believe I informed you that the four volumes were formerly the property of Dr. Tancred Robinson at whose sale I purchased them. I thank you for the specimens of plants you sent me. The Museus Arboreus is very curious, a considerable quantity of the North Amercan Oxycoccus was brought to me two years since as Maidenhair by Mr Phipps who was with Mr Bankes at Labrador. I told Mr Phipps of this mistake at the time. Of the Labrador Mr Bankes likewise brought some fine specimens in flower. It grows upon Newfoundland, Labrador & in the neighbourhood of Hudsons bay in great plenty where it is used by the natives & inhabitants both as a grateful liquor & as a medicine in.rheumatic cases. A quantity of it was given me by Capt. Middleton who went to discover the North West passage near thirty years since.It thrives very well here & Dr. Fothergill has besides others a very large plant of it now in fruit which I saw & examined last week. Dr Pitcairn has likewise a plant of it growing in his garden at Islington. It is not only in your neighbourhood but here in London that great quantities of the spurious North American sarsparilla are sold for the true." and continues by discussing the origins of various types of sarsa, and continues ".I have not yet sent for the new edition of Haller as my various necessary engagements leave me scarce time for study though I always rise early. I shall take an early opportunity of examining it as I was much pleased & informed by the first. Besides being a physiologist, anatomist & botanist Baron Haller is a first rate German poet.Sir Joshua Pringle & Dr. Franklin set out in a few days for Switzerland wherein a visit to Baron Haller is not an inconsiderable object. I should not be sorry to make a third in this expedition. . I have seen Mr Cribb with whom I have already had two patients. One . I only saw when he was dying of an Opisthotonos as for some hours before I saw him he had not been able to swallow any thing. Mr Cribb was suspicious of the Hydrophobia but I know the disease though I had never seen it before.I .believed it must be owing to some wounded nervous tendinous part. Upon enquiring it was found that about a week before he had cut the nail of one of his fingers through with a chissel & that the end of this divided nail had by being improperly managed pressed upon the tender parts underneath. The patient was well & abroad on Friday & dyed on Sunday morning." etc. He finishes by describing the progress of his son's medical training "at Spa.there are a great many English there .he is exceedingly well received." . 3 1/2 sides folio. Usual folds with address panel "To Dr. Pulteney, F.R.S. Physician, at Blandford". Several splits on folds but with no loss. A rare autograph.