the world.
The Orgone Accumulator and the Electroscopic EffectIn the growing fervor of his conviction that he was on the track of a universal ener-
gy, Reich began to measure orgone energy by means of an electroscope about the same time
as he was recording To-T.
The electroscope itself consisted of a vertical metal pole to which a fine gold or
aluminum leaf was attached, the whole being enclosed in a glass and metal case. When a
source of voltage or electrostatic charge (e.g., from rubbing one’s hair with a comb) was
brought near to, or into contact with, the metal pole, a movement of the leaf away from the
pole could be observed; this represented a “deflection” of the leaf measured in degrees of
angle. This device has been used since the eighteenth century to measure voltage and mon-
itor “atmospheric electricity.^8
Several factors influence the rate of fall or discharge of the deflected leaf.
According to electrostatic theory, essentially it discharges because of humidity in the air,
since moisture acts as a conductor. Also, other things being equal, the greater the radiation
from such sources as X-rays, ultraviolet rays, cosmic rays, the faster the discharge. Thus, elec-
troscopes discharge more rapidly at higher altitudes due, presumably, to the stronger effect
of cosmic rays.
Reich reasoned that since other manifestations of orgone energy, such as the tem-
perature difference and the visual phenomena, were stronger in less humid or more orgonot-
ically charged weather, the electroscope should discharge more slowly in an accumulator
than in free air. (Whereas classical electrostatic theory had no problem in explaining a more
rapid discharge of the electroscopic leaf in humid or rainy weather, it would not predict any
difference in discharge rate within the kind of box Reich termed an accumulator.)
Reich’s experiments confirmed in fact that the speed of discharge was slower on
the inside ofthe accumulator than on the outside.On the average, the electroscope dis-
charged twice as slowly in the accumulator as in the free air. The difference between the
inside rate and outside was less in humid and rainy weather, just as the visual phenomena
and To-T were less marked during those periods^9.
As a control against the objection that the difference might be due to better air cir-
culation outside the electroscope, Reich introduced a fan into the accumulator to circulate
the enclosed air. This had no effect on the rate of natural leak.
The electroscopic findings combined with the temperature difference gave Reich
increased confidence about the objective significance of his research on orgone energy.
Initially, heat and a fine prickling were felt in the accumulator. The thermometer registered
a higher temperature in the accumulator than outside it or in a control box. The electroscope
had a slower rate of discharge inside the accumulator. Moreover, all of these differences
were more pronounced on drier days than on humid ones. Subjectively, as Reich said, we also
feel better with low humidity, when there is more “orgone energy” in the atmosphere.
21 : The Discovery of Orgone Energy: 1940 265