Sr. Wm. Watson, M.D.
Abbott pinx.t Thornthwaite sculp.
[n.d. c.1780.]
Engraving. 140 x 101mm. 5½ x 4".
Sir William Watson (1715-1787) was a British physician, botanist and natural scientist, best remembered for his work on electricty. He did much to introduce Linnaeus' system of classification into Britain and was one of the earliest experimenters on electricity, being to investigate the passage of electricity through a rarefied gas. His experiments in 1747 to determine the velocity of electricity are of particular interest. The general belief at that time was that electricity was faster than sound, but no accurate test had as yet been devised to measure the velocity of a current. Watson eventually decided not to pursue his electrical experiments concentrating instead upon his medical career, but he continued to support others in presenting evidence to the Royal Society and became a champion of Benajmin Franklin.
W: 3127-2.
[Ref: 24621] £70.00
[n.d. c.1780.]
Engraving. 140 x 101mm. 5½ x 4".
Sir William Watson (1715-1787) was a British physician, botanist and natural scientist, best remembered for his work on electricty. He did much to introduce Linnaeus' system of classification into Britain and was one of the earliest experimenters on electricity, being to investigate the passage of electricity through a rarefied gas. His experiments in 1747 to determine the velocity of electricity are of particular interest. The general belief at that time was that electricity was faster than sound, but no accurate test had as yet been devised to measure the velocity of a current. Watson eventually decided not to pursue his electrical experiments concentrating instead upon his medical career, but he continued to support others in presenting evidence to the Royal Society and became a champion of Benajmin Franklin.
W: 3127-2.
[Ref: 24621] £70.00