The Origin of the Scale of Fahrenheit's Thermometer

Abstract

YOUR issue of February 13 contains, on p. 348, a note on the above subject, in which it is stated that Fahrenheit based his scale upon a scale previously adopted by Newton, Newton's scale having its zero at freezing point and the temperature of the human body marked as 12 degrees. Fahrenheit (says Sir Samuel Wilks) found Newton's divisions too large. He therefore divided them by two. Next he altered his zero to the temperature produced by a mixture of ice and salt. Later on he again divided each degree into four parts, giving the scale which is now in use. This explanation is substantially that which is given in the “Encyclopædia Britannica.”