i think i found one good reason why to use the vic with isolation transformer...and is simple..
today we already have igbts that can achieve 1,2kv at stan time scr and diodes was maybe the only viable way..
the transformer has one function.. allow the collapse of the field in a high relation higher than the igbt can give
i explain
if you pulse the primary with 10 amps peak and across your primary you have a 100ohm resistor, regardless of the voltage in, you are going to have 1000v kickback
that can be a 100 time increase if you start from 10v
but on transformer with a diode and coil in series you are going to be able to multiply that once again..
lets say we used 100v to start with and end up with 1000 volts this is a 900volts gain
for example the secondary had 5:1 relation in the secondary you would have 5kv 2 amps peak lets say we apply this 500v secondary into a coil load in series with the cell and would have 5kv peak this is a 4,5 kv gain... but now we put a few turns of thick wire at the end of this coil and connect this portion to the cell thru a diode... this mean when the secondary and coil collapse it will generate a low voltage high amps pulse while the whole coil still maintain the high voltage of collapse..
somehow i think it would give some different results.. need to test it
thats the only reason i see for why meyer would have used a isolated system.. of course except to keep things ionized..