Boit's experiment on electrostatics

Hello. On the web address http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/35600/35631/boit_35631.htm there is an apparatus allegedly used by a scientist named Boit. However, I can find no reference elsewhere on the web regarding any scientist with such a name, or even to such experiment. Can someone tell me who was Boit and if possible the date of his experiment? Or Boit is probably a typo and the correct name is Biot?

Thank you.