Charles Francois de Cisternay du Fay (1698-1739), French chemist. Du Fay became a chemist at the French Academy of Sciences in 1723, becoming a full member in 1731. In 1732 he was appointed Superintendent of the Jardins du Roi, Paris. During his seven years in this position the Gardens became one of the most important research centres in Europe. He made early experiments in electricity and discovered that an electrical charge had both positive and negative values. He noted the difference between conductors and insulators and experimented with the use of a human body as an electrical conductor. Artwork published in 1867.