He found out, as we have seen, that electricity and lightning are one and the same, and in the lightning rod he made the first practical application of electricity.

Afterwards Cavendish of England, Coulomb of France, Galvani of Italy, all brought new bricks to the pile.

Following them came a group of master builders, among whom may be mentioned: Volta of Italy, Oersted of Denmark, Ampere of France, Ohm of Germany, Faraday of England, and Joseph Henry of America.
Among these men, who were, it should be noted, theoretical investigators, rather than practical inventors like Morse, or Bell, or Edison, the American Joseph Henry ranks high.

Henry was born at Albany in 1799 and was educated at the Albany Academy.

Intending to practice medicine, he studied the natural sciences.