The Ingenious Dr. Franklin

by Goodman, Nathan G.

• ISBN13: 9780812210675
• ISBN10: 0812210670
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-04-01
• Publisher: Univ of Pennsylvania Pr

Summary

The Ingenious Dr. Franklin, an outstanding collection of Benjamin Franklin's scientific correspondence, has long been unavailable yet deserves a place beside his Autobiography as essential reading for everyone interested in history, wit, and invention. Portioned into three sections, "Practical Schemes and Suggestions," "Diverse Experiments and Observations," and "Scientific Deductions and Conjectures," these letters discuss an extraordinary range of topics, including the art of procuring pleasant dreams, choosing eye glasses, the first human flight, the character of clouds, the behavior of oil and water, smallpox and cancer, the cause of colds, charting the Gulf Stream, and prehistoric animals of the Ohio. Culled from ponderous volumes of collected works or private collections, these engaging and unabridged letters were assembled to allow readers to discover for themselves Benjamin Franklin's vigorous personality, his humanity, and his penetrating intelligence.

Author Biography

Nathan G. Goodman is the author of Benjamin Rush, Physician and Citizen, 1746-1813, also published by the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
The Ingenious Dr. Franklin	1	(16)
Practical Schemes and Suggestions
Daylight Saving	17	(6)
Treatment for Gout	23	(2)
Cold Air Bath	25	(1)
Electrical Treatment for Paralysis	26	(3)
Lead Poisoning	29	(4)
Rules of Health and Long Life	33	(2)
The Art of Procuring Pleasant Dreams	35	(6)
Learning to Swim	41	(5)
On Swimming	46	(4)
Choosing Eye-Glasses	50	(4)
Bifocals	54	(2)
Lightning Rods	56	(6)
Advantage of Pointed Conductors	62	(2)
Pennsylvanian Fireplaces	64	(7)
Slaughtering by Electricity	71	(3)
Canal Transportation	74	(2)
Indian Corn	76	(3)
The Armonica	79	(10)
Divers Experiments and Observations
First Hydrogen Balloon	89	(5)
A Hot-Air Balloon	94	(2)
First Aerial Voyage by Man	96	(3)
Second Aerial Voyage by Man	99	(4)
A Prophecy on Aerial Navigation	103	(3)
Magic Squares	106	(4)
Early Electrical Experiments	110	(1)
Electrical Experiments	111	(4)
The Kite	115	(2)
The Course and Effect of Lightning	117	(5)
Character of Clouds	122	(3)
Musical Sounds	125	(4)
Locating the Gulf Stream	129	(4)
Charting the Gulf Stream	133	(3)
Depth of Water and Speed of Boats	136	(4)
Distillation of Salt Water	140	(2)
Behavior of Oil on Water	142	(3)
Earliest Account of Marsh Gas	145	(3)
Smallpox and Cancer	148	(2)
Restoration of Life by Sun Rays	150	(5)
Scientific Deductions and Conjectures
Cause of Colds	155	(2)
Definition of a Cold	157	(1)
Heat and Cold	158	(7)
Cold by Evaporation	165	(5)
On Springs	170	(2)
Tides and Rivers	172	(6)
Direction of Rivers	178	(5)
Salt and Salt Water	183	(2)
Origin of Northeast Storms	185	(3)
Effect of Oil on Water	188	(10)
Spouts and Whirlwinds	198	(14)
Sun Spots	212	(3)
Conductors and Non-Conductors	215	(5)
Queries on Electricity	220	(5)
Magnetism and the Theory of the Earth	225	(3)
Nature of Lightning	228	(4)
Sound	232	(3)
Prehistoric Animals of the Ohio	235	(2)
Toads Found in Stone	237	(2)
Checklist of Letters and Papers	239	(3)
List of Correspondents	242	(1)
List of a Few Additional Letters	243