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Leyden Jar As Early High Voltage Capacitor
- Inventors independently developed the Leyden jar capacitor to store electric charge by connecting a charged interior to a conductor and building charge by crank.
- These jars could reach thousands of volts and caused fatalities when touched carelessly.
Nollet's Human Electric Chain
- Jean-Antoine Nollet lined up dozens to hundreds holding hands and passed charge so all jumped simultaneously as a public display.
- He performed the stunt for Louis XV with 180 guardsmen and later 200 Carthusian monks, thrilling audiences.
Humboldt's Extremity Electroexperiment
- Alexander von Humboldt inserted one electrode in his mouth and another into his rectum and reported violent cramps, bladder evacuation and bright lights when electrified.
- He escalated depth to test sensations, recording nausea and involuntary contractions.