Joseph Henry Establishes Priority in Discovery of Self-Induction

Close
Usage Conditions Apply
The Smithsonian Institution Archives welcomes personal and educational use of its collections unless otherwise noted. For commercial uses, please contact photos@si.edu.
Print
 

Summary

In order to establish himself as the first to discover self-induction, Joseph Henry presents a series of papers to the American Philosophical Society and publishes extracts of his work in the Journal of the Franklin Institute and Silliman's Journal of American Science. The first paper was given at the January 16th meeting. These articles include "Contributions to Electricity and Magnetism No. I.-- Description of a Galvanic Battery for Producing Electricity of Different Intensities" and "Contributions II-- On the Influence of a Spiral Conductor in Increasing the Intensity of Electricity from a Galvanic Arrangement of a Single Pair, Etc." In 1846, Joseph Henry would become Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

Subject

  • Henry, Joseph 1797-1878
  • American Philosophical Society

Category

Chronology of Smithsonian History

Notes

  • Contributions I appears at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9077349. Contributions II appears at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/907736.
  • Scientific Writings of Joseph Henry. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 30. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1887, pp. 80-100.
  • Moyer, Albert. Joseph Henry: The Rise of an American Scientist. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997, pp. 99-104.

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

January 16-March 1835

Topic

  • Magnetic induction
  • Lectures and lecturing
  • Electrochemistry
  • Electromagnets
  • Electric power supplies to apparatus
  • Electromagnetic Induction
  • Electric batteries

Full Record

View Full Record