Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-17
cuRIosrrrEs OF ELECTRICITY.

George LIE Cronier, in the Reuiel0 Of the
telegraph and Telephone, says: What
lightning abhors and what electricity alb
hers is water. Still we are told, and the
fact is undisputed, that water is conductor
and that glass is non -conductor We use
the glass and the lightning rod or telegraph
wire together because they act as one; If
the glass were not conductor as well its
contact would divert the current, conse-
ouently it is as much conductor as the
lightning rod; as both conduct, both should
be called conductors. So OF water we
are told that a lightning rod is put into the
ground where it is damp that the water or
dampnesg may conduct it, but instead OF
conducting it it is the best clement to kill
it, and this is the use that it answers, the
vacuum current that jumps in water the
narrow space from wire to wire is not done
by the conductivity of the water, but
despite it-as the interval must be Just in
proportion to the strength of the current
If increased the leap must be made; if
water was aconductor, the greater theinter-
val the greater the conductive power. And
SO we have by the same peTversion SUD-
stance like amber that attracts, called a
negatiye-why call the active power a neg
atiye? In powder the three ingredients,
inter, sulphur and charcoal, containing little
moisture and being also Of different tenn
perasure, when brought together and acted
on by heat, explode-it is an attempt to
combine by fire three temperatures that re.
fuse to fuse. The phenomenon seen in win
ter when comb is run through the hair
and the spark is produced is due to the fact
that three dry substances, the hair, the
comb and the hand, each of different tenn
peEature, are brought IN contact by fric-
ton. The disturbance produces the sparks.
Ii the friction ia continued any time, the
sparks will be found to diminish just in the
proportion as the temperature of the three
becomes equalized by the friction of heat !;
this effect cannot be produced in summer,
the hand and the hair containing too much
moisture. We are told that by running
our feet over carpet we charge our body
with electricity from the carpet, and by
this means we are able TO light gas burner.
This is incorrect. By running round the
room with the index finger standing alone
we make it still more dry, which is already
comparatively dry in winter, and then the
dry finger, the dry gas burner and the dry
gas is ignited, when in contact, by the dry,
warm air of the warmed room. We could
dry the finger as well by sitting in chair
and making the finger cut the air. We
also have it given to usi n treatises on cleo
tricity that certain woman by putting her
finger in line contact with a brass knob
upon heated stove was discovered to be
able to cause sparks to proceed from her
body through her finger to the knob. and
that the exercise after awhile became ex.
hausting to her, whereas no spark ever pro.
ceeded from her body-a human body can.
not produce spark, but was produced by
contact or near contact of her dry, bony
finger, the temperature of the brass knob
and the iron stove all being different and
being excited thereto by the heat of the
air. Neither can electricity enter the body,
as its humidity repels it, That explains
the electric shock the electricity is ab.
ruptly stopped. Persons killed by light.
ming have not so much as hair scratch to
show its effect, and it has the whole surface
of the body to oppose it. When it is said
that mark has been made it ia d misap-
prehension it is attracted by the dry cloth
ing when everything else that is exposed ia