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How Ben Franklin Electrocuted Himself Cooking A Turkey
One of the greatest minds in the history of the United States gave himself quite a jolt while experimenting with electricity and cooking
When it comes to electricity, nearly every American is familiar with the story of 18th century inventor, statesman and writer Benjamin Franklin and his experiments with a kite. However, that was only one in an ongoing series of trials he conducted with electrical charges throughout his life. Another memorable and shocking incident he had was when he was once electrocuted while trying to cook a turkey.
Although Franklin didn’t invent electricity, as is frequently misremembered, he did a number of experiments that raised the energy source’s profile and hold a prominent place in history. His best known experiment occurred in 1752 when he was said to have flown a kite with a metal key tied to its tail in the midst of a thunderstorm in order to collect an ambient electrical charge in a Leyden jar (early electrical components). In doing so, he was able to prove a connection between lightning and electricity, which informed later research and invention. He was ultimately responsible for developing the lightning rod and advancing the study of electricity greatly with his ongoing scientific research on the subject.
Before Franklin’s breakthrough with his kite, he had been working regularly to wrap his mind around electricity since 1745. Although it has was harnessed for its amazing utility well after his death, it can also be extremely dangerous, as he found out first hand in 1749. The inventor was cooking food (including a turkey) when he decided to see if electricity could be used to expedite the process. Believing that electrical currents could make the meat “uncommonly tender,” he moved forward with another experiment- cooking his bird with electricity.
Using two Leyden jars, he touched them to his turkey to begin the hoped for cooking process. Instead of the succulent cooked poultry he was hoping for, he got something else very different instead- an electric shock. It was strong enough that those in the vicinity of the inventor recalled that he shook violently. He also had no memory of what had happened after he came to his senses…
