The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-05-22
Everyday Electricity.

A communication in the Louisville Corr
ie-.JOuTndt makes some Interesting state
ments with regard To the aggravation OF dis
ease in city houses. The writer recalls the
fact that Professor LoOmis. some years
ago. i'm q series of scientific papers. called
attention = 10 the effect of the friction of
shOe-lcather on wooden carpets. in houses
warmed by hot-air furnaces or steam. in
cold weather. in the production of negative
electrical excitement" and he quotes from
a book OF Professor Sillman the assertion
that the young people In the Professor
house found source ofamuSemcnt in cold
weather in giving electrical shocks lby
kisses and otherwiSc) 10 unwary friends.
or in lighting the Gas by spark from the
finger or kcy-handlc after rubbing il
briskly over the carpet. An anecdote of a
lady in Frankfort, Kentucky. who was able
60 light the gas by applying her knuckle to
the burner, finishes the writers stock of
illustrations that electricity in large guam
titles enters into our systems. under GER
tain conditions. when we are merely fol-
lowing the routine of our everyday lives.
lie then says:
ut is possible that. amid the learned
lab0rS which are going on touching the
remedial uses of this powerful but danger
Gus agent. the inmates of tens of thousands
of American houses are being left Ia bale
nj influence of il which j. receiving no at
tcntion.
"rhe phvs biological effects upon child
irolicking upon carpet. in furnace
heated or steam-heatcd house, or upon a
lady travcrsing the house in her domestic
duties. until charged with electricity uili-
cicnt 10 give sensible shock 10 persons
touched, or 10 ignite the gas. may be-
Judged somewhat by the effects upon
boy on a stool isolated by glass legs and
electrified until able 10 ignite cup Of
ether presented to his knuckles. He expe-
ricnces prickly heat and glow Of the skin.
his face iushe>, his hair stands out from
his head. he breaks into perspiration. a
touch gives him a hook like ouching the
conductor of an electrical machine in ac-
ton, and he feels afterward lassitudc like
that subsequent to strain of the muscles
or excitement of the nerves of sensibility.
When persons. young or old. are subjected
10 such a process almost daily for a long
season. and often a number of times in "a
day. can Il be without serious effects. for
good or evil. upon the health and consti-
tutions When II is considered that "A per-
son electrified in this manner is not like the
Ieyden jar which gathers and holds the
electricity, but is like the electrical
machine constantly discharging the cleo
tricity silently in the atmosphere, the
presence of such an amount at any one
moment suggests how great a quantity
must be emitted by a single person I'm such
circumstances in single day. Gathered
lhte battery of jars and discharged at
once Through large animal, il would
probably Kill instantly, or would shiver a
Tough block of wood an inch in thickness.
me statement OF it, chemical effects, al
though small comparatively to its me-
chancal effects, and 10 the effects of cleo
tricity in other forms. could be- made
equally startling.
what now must he the influence OF
such an agent. experienced i'm such meas
ure. upon the physical health and mental
constitution OF those daily subjected TO III
Inc children i'm such homes encounter not