I am, Sir,
Your much obliged humble Servant,
B. FRANKLIN.
[Opinions and Conjectures, concerning the Properties and Effects of the electrical Matter, and the Means of preserving Buildings, Ships, &c. from Lightning, arising from Experiments and Observations made at Philadelphia, 1749.—Golden Fish.—Extraction of effluvial Virtues by Electricity impracticable.]
§ 1. The electrical matter consists of particles extremely subtile since it can permeate common matter, even the densest metals, with such ease and freedom as not to receive any perceptible resistance.
2. If any one should doubt whether the electrical matter passes through the substance of bodies, or only over and along their surfaces, a shock from an electrified large glass jar, taken through his own body, will probably convince him.
3. Electrical matter differs from common matter in this, that the parts of the latter mutually attract, those of the former mutually repel each other. Hence the appearing divergency in a stream of electrified effluvia.
4. But though the particles of electrical matter do repel each other, they are strongly attracted by all other matter[48].