Page "Otto von Guericke" Paragraph 28

The key Chapter 15 is entitled " On an experiment, in which these potencies, listed above, can be evoked by the rubbing of a sulphur ball.

" In Section 3 of this chapter he describes how light bodies are repelled from a sulphur sphere which has been rubbed with a dry hand, and are not again attracted until they have touched another body.

Oldenburg's review of the Experimenta Nova ( November 1672 ) in the Proceeding of the Royal Society sceptically observes: " How far this globe may be confided in, the Tryals and Consideration of some ingenious person here may perhaps inform us hereafter.

" In fact, Robert Boyle repeated von Guericke's experiments for the Royal Society in November 1672 and February 1673.

( Schneider p. 127 )