and made a comparison with the inoculation against smallpox. He concluded that
“If the Lord of Nature had established thunderstorms to threaten and punish the
Earth’s disobedient inhabitants, it would be another matter; but now she does not
flash and thunder just when and where the greatest sins are being committed” [14].
Bergman gave detailed advice of how to instal lightning conductors on different
types of buildings, and his proposal does not simply follow the guidelines of
previous authors such as Franklin [15]. Actually, when it comes to the height of the
conductor, Bergman’s recommendations are more in line with modern views, than
where those of Franklin. Nevertheless, Bergman’s lecture had little impact on the
development of lightning conductors, and received little attention [16]. Construction of lightning conductors in Europe did not occur until after 1770, [17] and by
that time Bergman’s interest was almost entirely devoted to chemistry. On the
bicentennial of Bergman’s lecture, Dietrich Müller-Hillebrand, professor of high
voltage physics in Uppsala, studied Bergman’s contributions to the field, [12] and at
last, Bergman’s thoughts were given the proper credit.
A letter to Wilson on a spectacular thunderstorm in Uppsala on August 24, 1760
was published in Philosophical Transactions in 1764 [18]. Wallerius, the professor
of chemistry in Uppsala whom Bergman eventually would succeed (Sect. 9.1),
presented a dissertation about the same thunderstorm, and the effects of a lightning
striking Uppsala Castle [19]. Wallerius tried to prove that lightings were caused by
a special form of sulphur formed by water particles and combustible material
combining in the atmosphere. The fact that the lightning was attracted to metals was
compared to the chemical reactivity of sulphur towards metals. Another proof was
the presence of sulphuric acid in the atmosphere, which Bergman would later
disprove (Chap. 18). Wallerius also claimed that this special form of sulphur did not
only give rise to electrical phenomena, but it was also the ultimate nutrient of all
plants.
Bergman returned to the topic of preventing lighting strikes in 1770. Wilcke had
published a paper on a lightning striking a building in Stockholm in May 1769 [20].
Wilcke referred to Bergman’s work and concluded that the discharge had followed
metal plates on the building which had prevented more serious damage. On the
other hand, he was sceptic towards the prospects of protecting a building by a tall
metal rod, as the building hit by the lightning by no means was the highest building
in the neighbourhood. The tall tower of the German church was not hit, for instance.
Wilcke’s paper was followed a comment by Bergman, where he maintained his idea
that a city could be protected from lightning by an array of tall metal poles,
provided they were correctly designed [21].
References
1. Lindroth S (1967) Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Historia 1739–1818, vol 1:1,
Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien, Stockholm, p 2
2. Lindroth S (1967) Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Historia 1739–1818, vol 1:1,
Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien, Stockholm, p 111
80
6 Bergman, Scheele and the Royal Academy of Sciences
“If the Lord of Nature had established thunderstorms to threaten and punish the
Earth’s disobedient inhabitants, it would be another matter; but now she does not
flash and thunder just when and where the greatest sins are being committed” [14].
Bergman gave detailed advice of how to instal lightning conductors on different
types of buildings, and his proposal does not simply follow the guidelines of
previous authors such as Franklin [15]. Actually, when it comes to the height of the
conductor, Bergman’s recommendations are more in line with modern views, than
where those of Franklin. Nevertheless, Bergman’s lecture had little impact on the
development of lightning conductors, and received little attention [16]. Construction of lightning conductors in Europe did not occur until after 1770, [17] and by
that time Bergman’s interest was almost entirely devoted to chemistry. On the
bicentennial of Bergman’s lecture, Dietrich Müller-Hillebrand, professor of high
voltage physics in Uppsala, studied Bergman’s contributions to the field, [12] and at
last, Bergman’s thoughts were given the proper credit.
A letter to Wilson on a spectacular thunderstorm in Uppsala on August 24, 1760
was published in Philosophical Transactions in 1764 [18]. Wallerius, the professor
of chemistry in Uppsala whom Bergman eventually would succeed (Sect. 9.1),
presented a dissertation about the same thunderstorm, and the effects of a lightning
striking Uppsala Castle [19]. Wallerius tried to prove that lightings were caused by
a special form of sulphur formed by water particles and combustible material
combining in the atmosphere. The fact that the lightning was attracted to metals was
compared to the chemical reactivity of sulphur towards metals. Another proof was
the presence of sulphuric acid in the atmosphere, which Bergman would later
disprove (Chap. 18). Wallerius also claimed that this special form of sulphur did not
only give rise to electrical phenomena, but it was also the ultimate nutrient of all
plants.
Bergman returned to the topic of preventing lighting strikes in 1770. Wilcke had
published a paper on a lightning striking a building in Stockholm in May 1769 [20].
Wilcke referred to Bergman’s work and concluded that the discharge had followed
metal plates on the building which had prevented more serious damage. On the
other hand, he was sceptic towards the prospects of protecting a building by a tall
metal rod, as the building hit by the lightning by no means was the highest building
in the neighbourhood. The tall tower of the German church was not hit, for instance.
Wilcke’s paper was followed a comment by Bergman, where he maintained his idea
that a city could be protected from lightning by an array of tall metal poles,
provided they were correctly designed [21].
References
1. Lindroth S (1967) Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Historia 1739–1818, vol 1:1,
Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien, Stockholm, p 2
2. Lindroth S (1967) Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Historia 1739–1818, vol 1:1,
Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien, Stockholm, p 111
80
6 Bergman, Scheele and the Royal Academy of Sciences