In 1745, the attention of Dr. Watson being attracted by the account of the Germans having fired spirits of wine, he applied himself to electricity with much assiduity, and made many valuable and curious discoveries. But though his improvements were considerable, and such as at another time would have excited interest, they were now lost amid the surprise occasioned by the most remarkable discovery that had yet been made in the whole science. This was the accumulation of the electric matter in glass bottles, and the method of giving the electric shock. The merit of this discovery belongs to Mr. Cuneus, a native of Leyden, from whence it derives its name of the Leyden phial.[7] “M. Muschenbroeck, professor in the university in that city, observing with his friends, that electrified bodies, exposed to the common atmosphere, which is always replete with conducting particles of various kinds, soon lost their electricity, and were capable of retaining but a small quantity of it, imagined, that were the electrified bodies terminated on all sides by original electrics, they might be capable of receiving a stronger power, and retaining it a longer time. Glass being the most convenient electric for this purpose, and water the most convenient non-electric, they first made their experiments with water in glass bottles; but no considerable discovery was made, till the professor, or Mr. Cuneus, happening to hold his glass vessel in one hand, containing water, which had a communication with the prime-conductor by means of a wire, and with the other hand disengaging it from the conductor (when he imagined the water had received as much electricity as the machine could give) was surprised by a sudden shock in his arms and breast, which he had not in the least expected from the experiment.” Wonder is the effect of ignorance, and ignorance begets credulity; but when wonder and credulity are coupled with terror and surprise, we must look for a strange and mishapen progeny. The exaggerated accounts of those who first experienced the electric shock cannot but raise a smile; especially as we may ascertain their real sensations by like experiments upon ourselves.