Thanks, years ago I bought a hardcopy of that paper because I couldn't find any digital versions online. If you look on page 500, near the bottom, that's where the "flip" occurred. Here's the excerpt:
So he's discussing EM waves and whether they oscillate side to side (transverse) or to-fro (normal or longitudinal) in the direction of travel. All EM theory today is based on the idea that it's transverse, and all mainstream physicists today refuse to believe in longitudinal EM waves. So that only leaves fringe researchers (and non-public sciences) who have explored it.The equations of the electromagnetic field, deduced from purely experimental evidence, show that transversal vibrations only can be propagated. If we were to go beyond our experimental knowledge and to assign a definite density to a substance which we should call the electric fluid, then we might have normal vibrations propagated with a velocity depending on this density. We have, however, no evidence as to the density of electricity, as we do not even know whether to consider vitreuous electricity as a substance or as the absence of a substance.
Hence, electromagnetic science leads to exactly the same conclusion as optical science with respect to the direction of the disturbances which can be propagated through the field; both affirm the propagation of transverse vibrations, and both give the same velocity of propagation. On the other hand, both sciences are at a loss when called on to affirm or deny the existence of normal vibrations.
But notice, "...both sciences are at a loss when called on to affirm or deny the existence of normal vibrations." Meaning it's left open for retconning. Aliens could show up and demonstrate the existence of these "normal vibrations" and claim it's the basis of their wonderful technology (whether that's true or not) and technically it wouldn't contradict.
"Lack of evidence isn't evidence to the contrary" -- funny how pseudoskeptics and mainstream scientists make that mistake. Just like with the subject of aliens and UFOs. They refuse to look, or else they move the goal post to disqualify the evidence. Then claim that lack of evidence shows there's nothing to it.
But what's really crazy is how these flips are everywhere: biology, genetics, history, archeology, philosophy, religion, zoology, psychology, medicine, chemistry, earth sciences, economics etc. Each one has its facts and assumptions and spots left open for future reinterpretation. Each field has suspicious signs of suppression and contouring to keep humanity in the dark.