en also proposed a lottery to help bring money into the city, and he chartered a university that is name after him today, called the University of Pennsylvania. Franklins print shop had made him a wealthy man, and in 1748 the success of the print shop had allowed Franklin to retire early. Franklin could now use his time to focus on his two other favorite things: science and politics. Soon after his retirement Franklin became extremely interested in experimenting with electricity. Franklin was one of the first people to suggest that lightning was merely naturally occurring electricity, and that it could be drawn from the clouds. In 1752, Ben Franklin performed his kite experiment. Here Franklin had his proof of lightnings electrical nature. Franklin wrote specifics on how the experiment was to be done, it saidThis kite is to be raised when a thunder-gust appears to be coming on, and the person who holds the string must stand within a door or window, orunder some cover, so that the silk ribbon may not be wet; and care must be taken that the twine does not touch the frame of the door or window. As soonas any of the thunder-clouds come over the kite, the pointed wire will draw electric fire from them, and the kite, with all the twine, will be electrified, and the loose filaments of the twine will stand out every way, and be attracted byan approaching finger. And when the rain has wet the kite and twine, so that it can conduct the electric fire freely, you will find it stream out plentifully fromthe key on the approach of your knuckle. At this key the phial may be charged; and from electric fire thus obtained. (Amacher 141)This experiment is one that gave Ben Franklin international fame. This however is not the only scientific material that Franklin studied. He also studied weather, and storm patterns. Franklin also studied medicine. When one of his brothers was sick he invented the instrument known as the catheter. Frankli...
