Fernando Sanford and the "Kirlian effect"

TL;DR

This paper explores Fernando Sanford's early electric photography technique from 1894, highlighting his efforts to reduce fringe effects that are now associated with the Kirlian effect, and contrasting his approach with later developments.

Contribution

It uncovers Sanford's pioneering work on electric photography and his attempts to eliminate fringe effects, providing historical context to the development of the Kirlian effect.

Findings

Sanford's images showed fringes similar to the Kirlian effect

He aimed to reduce fringes, thus losing the effect

His work predates and informs later Kirlian photography

Abstract

In 1894 Fernando Sanford discussed in a paper published by the Physical Review an electric photography technique, which he developed starting from 1891. The images that he published in the paper are clearly showing some fringes about the objects he photographed. Several years after, the fringes appearing in the electric photography have been recognized as the "Kirlian effect". Unlike Kirlian, Sanford did his best to reduce these fringes, improving the device but losing the "Sanford effect".