I can't add much, but if I saw such a paper, I'd like to see it address these topics:
---When was the change made from tarred cloth to PVC insulation?
---When was a ground wire first included? How were boxes bonded? Did NEC ever ask that boxes be bonded before the advent of 3-prong plugs?
---When was it required to make the ground wire the same size as the conductors?
---Did the advent of Romex, and the various clamps, have anything to do with boxes becoming larger and, well, "boxier?"
