Eastern times., 1855-05-03
Mistfllanp.
Curious Electrical Phenomena.

Curious Electrical Phenomena.
What would be thought of lady, who,
when saluting her dearest friends, gave at the
same time an electric shock from her lips L
who, presenting hand to her acquain:ances.
made their hands tingle again with electric
sparks, What would you think if the knob
of your friends parlor door sent mortal
twinge up your arm, or if similar twinge
Paralyzed your legs on passing from the front
Co the back drawing-room, No matter what
you would think ; such things are, and the
marvels of fiction fade TO insignifcance before
them.
New York, as every one knows, is an ex-
tzaordinary city, famous for many things, but
of which we concern ourselves at present only
with some of the newest private dwelling
houses-edifces of almost painful architec-
tnre. Great pains are bestowed on the work
manship Of the interior, the doors and WIN
dows being made to fit with the utmost accu-
Eacy, to keep out the fierce winter cold and
the arrangements for heating the apartments
with hot air are such, that the houses are as
dry and warm oven during the cold sea-
son. Too warm, indeed, for health.
Well, within the past few years, the occu-
pants of some of these houses have been the
subjects and witnesses of unusual phenomena,
something more than they bargaiued for in
their lease. The have had to endure the Wis
itation, if not domiciliation, of what NAV be
called domestic electricity, exhibing itself in
vivid sparks, without apparent cause or warn
ing. As described BY Prof Loomis, of New
York university, the shocks were at>times of
considerable intensity. "A stranger he says,
on entering one of these electrical houses, in
attempting to shake hands with the inmates,
receives a shock, which is quite noticeable
and somewhat unpleasant. Ladies in attempt
ing to kiss each other, are saluted by spark
A spark is perceived whenever the hand is
brought near 10 the knob of the door, the gild-
cd frame of mirror, the gas-ppes, or any
metallic body, especially when this body com
municates freely with the earth In one
house, which l have had an opportunity to ex-
anime, child, in taking hold of door, re-
celved SO severe a shock that he ran off in
great fright. The lady of the house in ap-
preaching the speaking tube to give orders TO
the servants. felt a very unpleasant shock in
the mouth, aud was very much snnoyed by
the electricity, until she learned frst ,o.touch
the tube with her finger. In passing from one
parlor TO the other, if she chanced to step up
the folding doors, she caught an unpleasant
shock in the foot. When her finger an
preached the chandelier, or gaselier, sus-
pended from the ceiling, there appeared
brilliant spark and snap, as in the discharge
ct Leydea jar OF good size. In many hous-
es the phenomena have been so remarkable as
to decision general surprise and almost alarm.
Strange as these facts appear, they are not
difficult of explanation They are most con-
spicuous in the coolest weather, and in the
best finished and most highly heated houses
Here are presented materials for the devel-
opment of electricity in addition TO which,
the floors of the rooms are covered with vel
vet-pile carpets and it admits of proof that
electricity may be excited in a close thick
worsied carpet by the leather of the shoe in
walking over it. Two plies of ordinary car
pet, of drueget, exhibit the same effect,
but with less intensity. Dryness is essential
to the phenomenon, and the American win
ters, as is well known, are remarkably dry !;
At any rate, the anthracite coal-furnace, pour
ing its stream of hot air into every room of a
house, effectualIy checks any approach to
moisture. For this reason, TO shuttle across
the carpet in such house, or even to walk
slowly, would SO charge person with cleo
trieity, that sparks would be given off by
touching another person or any metallic sub
stance. And although the cause may seem
scarcely adequate to the effect, we ought to
reniember that the friction is accompanied bv
the whole weight of the body. Let any one
rub piece of carpet with piece of leather,
and apply the electrometer the effect will be
surprising. These electrical houses give fee
BILE signs of electricity as warm weather co omes
on and during the summer, with its damp,
oppressive heat, they almost entirely disap-
pear.
There is nothing mysterious in this. The
phenomenon is easily understood but il has
the peculiarity-reversing social usages-ot
staying most at home in dry weather, and GO
ing abroad when damp and rainy. We have
read of natural philosopher, who, persecut-
ed by an obstinate dun, charged his knocker
with strong shock to punish his tormentor
the hapless savant should have lived in an cleo
trical house. We have heard of other houses
where spark could always be drawn from the
Iooking-glass frame above the mantle-piecc, a
fire burning at the time in an open crate be-
meath. And in many parts of America. and
on board steamboats,, persons sitting round
she fre have drawn electric spark. bv n,..
senting their knuckles to the stove. It i,
known, too, that sheet of paper laid ON
warm stove and rubbed will give out a spark