New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-24
AN EXPERT INDEED.
MIR EDISON IN THE KEMMLER CASE.
tAPERIMENTS THAT THE INVENTOR TRIED ON
HIS EMPLoYES-HE BELIEVES THAT DEATH

GOULD BE PRODUCED PAINLESSI,Y.
The hearing of the Kemmler reference yesterday
was one Of unusual interest, as Thomas A. Edison
occupied the stand for the greater part Of the morning
session. Every one present, including W. Bourle
cochran, kemmlers attorney, was extremely anxious
10 hear the evidence OF the man who by general
consent, Is regarded the greatest electrician of
the age The clear, concise way in which Mr.. Edison
explained many subjects which had not been under
stood after two weeks of evidence from numerous
witnesses would have convinced any one who did
not Know his reputation that his knowledge OF
electricity was at once comprehensive and accurate
All listened TO his testimony with the greatest
interest, and when he had finished felt that their
knowledge Of electricity had been greatly Increased
Just before the hearing began Mr. Edison, In reply
to question by Harold p. Brown, said he would
give T. Carpenter Smith, Of Philadelphia who testified
that he had received several shocks from LOCO
volt alternating current and prOfcssed TO have httle
fear Of the so-called deadly agent 800 II he would
allow Mr.. Edison to send alternating current Oh
100 volts through him. Mr.. Brown said he know
Of man who would add another 800 to that sum-
II Mr.. Smith would accept the challenge 1t would
perhaps add much to tho general knowledge OF the
effects of electricity the human body.
Mr. Edison his examination by Deputy
Attorney General Poste said he had been an inventor
and electrician for twenysix years, and believed that
he knew something about dynamos. lie first gave
an account of the difference between the alternating
and the continuous currents, point that had rather
been overlooked In the hearings hitherto he
described tho flow Of the continuous current as similar
to that Of water, while in the alternating current
the flow was constantly reversed. He thought that
the Westinghouse dynamos were reversed about loo
times second. Altogether at least twenty RlnoS Oh
dynamos were used.
TESTING THE RESISTANCE OF HIS EMPLOYEES
On Saturday Mr.. Edison had found the electrical
resistance of some $50 of his employees, ana leaeheu
that It ranged from 600 TO 1900 ohms, the average
being about 900. He used for electrodes TWO MS
containing 10 per cent solution Of caustic poaS u
which makes the best contact, as 1t sapohnes Ino
natural oil IN the skin of the hands and reduces the
resistance TO a minimum. The measurements were
taken after the persons had held their hands In 'he
solution for thirty seconds. The result was the
same, whatever the strength of the current useu'
although none of tho could well stand more
than eight volts. When the contact was lhpei1eoS
the resistance became enormous, varying between
10000 and 200 600 ohms. Dirt or Oil on the nanue
also increased the resistance, which was reduced,
| however by large electrodes. Fifteen per cent Oh
the resistance TO a current passed through human
being was at the points of contact, inc
rest in the body. The current ioho"eu
! the paths of least resistance, Du1
the current was strong 1t would take the paCnS oo'n
OF low and high resistance. Burns were never causeu
contact was lnpcf1eCJ, III "h'"H N"'' w.
electricity would How through the gaseous matter Do
tween the ends of tho separated conductors and form
an arc. ,.o +,
Il am not familiar with the Westinghouse dynano'
continued the witness, but know no" they dro oon
| stlucted They be made TO give higher voltage
than ordinary by increasing the speed ot tne rc'oi
| tions Of their a1matures l should think thaI theS
| rht 20 stand a tbreefold acceleration in the rate
n, their revolution without danger Of the aratuies
| burstlnc The Edison Company owns patehts oi
Iynslnos produling tho alternating euIreh, ou' "o
| don,t use the machines, as we REGARD them aS uau'
gerous' M rd,son
he1ova that an artificial current can be pro-
cod to kill lnstantsneously and pafnlessly IN every
! 80 think the best way Is TO put the crimihai :
| hands I'm a solution Of caustic potash ana 'heh
feel sure that 900 volts of an alternating cureh' vi
of q frequently interrupted CONTINUOUS our'o,U On .
would be certainly fatal L have found uha' G'o
alternating current is the moro enecuVo VI ,H' tuo
a. some persons cannot stand eight volts Oh IT, WHO
| q, III, toal tho same amount of a continuous
current
,--, r, c,,ppE,v,r MADE A FROGS LEG JUMP.
A. rd,son then described some OF his experiments
IN CO., with the scatlc nerve Of its hind leg ex-
nosed Every time the current was passed throu6n
tho nerve the leg jumped although the currcnV "So"
was only one fvchundred thousandn vi an amp =,
with an alternating current Mr. Edison thousn' no
| n,odtce a similar effect on tho uuS'Ao VI '"
| h,on hod,, The witness did not know much apou'
tho mechanical effect Of electricity on the pouy' o.
,udged that a powerful alternating current "oup'
| arse a rsb of fluids from the capillary VEINS anu
| would comfort the nerves The passage OF 'no cur
ro,t ,youh produce heat in the body, put hiuo' VI
ths would be radlated off, so that the tempera u'
| g tbe boiv would not be raised much Il doht SIC
ho,v II Is possible he said, " that the ourren' '
carbOuze the whole body"
At this polnt W. Bourke Cochran began MS cV''
s1oninauon of the Witness AS Mr.. Cochran ha'
several times expressed great anxiety to nave NIX
Edison take the stand everybody eNpec'eo sou0 Al
,,,.,irg deveopments. II Mr. Cochran eNp'cteqr LII ~
rrove the cruelty Of electrical execution " ~ bis
D no did moi succeed we'll. for the witness Mp. W., nv l
,,r1snd of the subject and made NJ clhti @ho' @ ,
answers NJ ono poAI' HO NN''N>
ton nonsense" M -, ~ tosts with the
tone bridge 10 find the electrical r'sIa ~
W., rv,Tinen because ! read Of such cOnnict VI
5,"n ln5 on this p0lnt and found the cOnduoliVrI w
IN nrAAIre the resistance of any tlnE &u ala nnt
~ a. more accurate than foot RUE 40, . ui ror co.
rrces1re any of the mon twice tninh 'ar uia. ol
nnuId hurn a man up with LOU hOrse-puNoLL o,,
olcctijcaI energy II would not Do pohiHo' "0"
over but a carboniZa1On"
III MIGHT MAKE A MUMMY in IlNH
aWitb a wicked westinghouse dynamo now l'n'
mould II take TO burn up tie body!" asked MI
Cochran. - -o,,,J
u vvouId not be burned. It's temperature "ou'
lsa thr,o or four degrees anil II would be muini"'
n A