The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-07
stage Malls, &c.
ELECTRICITY ArrHE MENAcERiE,
The Elephants Enjoyed It, but the
Rest Didn't.
New York SUM-


A number of physicians and electricians of
this city went to Bridgeport yesterday and
witnessed a series of interesting electrical ex
periments upon animals at the winter quar-
tiers of the Barnum q Bailey Greatest Show
on.Earth. Barnum & Bailey placed the en-
tire menagerie at their service and detailed
twenty keepers to assist in the work. Among
the visitors were DR.. A. w. Jackson of is
West Sixtieth street, Or. f. G. WEIGH Of 140
West Forty second street, Christion G.. A.
Groenbeck, the electrical expert, and John c.
Afford, the superintendent Of the Bridgeport
Electric Lighting Company. The instru
meats employed were powerful battery Of
~ lAclanche cells and resistance box Of
10000 ohms. Their experiments began at IL
a. m.and continued until nightfall.
Ths first animal experiment ed with was a
sayas baboo n, which fought Head Keeper
Geore Conklin and three assistants furious
~ anlwas not brought into subsection until
he nal severely bitten one on the shoulder
ana brn he clothing off the arm Of another.
Whel secu'ely tied, sponge at the end of
Que wre was forced into his mouth and q
secon fastened to one of his paws. A cur
rent Two cels was passed through the an
lmal az promptly resented by fierce at
tempto break lts bonds and escape. The
irrltaon increased with the current until
twent-eight cells were used Then it grew
less, ad when forty cells were applied the
anlms became lethsrgic and almost coma
tose, itlng very much like a man overcome
with INK. Its resistance was then deter
mine0nd found to be 5000 ohms, sur
prisiny large figure. When released and
put blk In his cage the baboon became flu
rlous ad attacked the nearest keeper, infiict-
ing uIn him several painful, though not Sc.
rious ratches.
A tae seal was the next subject. 1t came
from cage at its keepers call, and entered
the ci1e around which the electricians were
seated IL allowed the experts to fasten one
roll oiopper wire around Its neck and sec.
the cuent was applied it snapped viciously
In eve direction. The scientists sprang
right I'd left, upsettlng chairs and writing
mateIls, and leaving the amphibian master
of theeld. When the current was increas-
ed theeal gnawed at the wires and succeed
ed in sengaging itself from them. The
resistce could not be ascertained on ac-
count the seals wet coat, the water acting
as a cduct0r to the electrical fluid.
Thelu or horned horse did not take
kindly, science. When one of the visitors
enterehe cage it attacked him so savagely
that thu keepers were obliged to go to his
asslstae. The animal showed a resistance
OF ill., ohms and seemed paralyzed the
nome the current was turned on. Inc
otherliI of the same class acted in a
similmanner. but displayed much lower
resistce. the Gland registering 1850, the
Onyx 40, aud the nilghau 5000 ohms.
Thenall monkeys acted very much like
little ,ldren, The moment they felt the
curreHhey screamed and seemed TO be in
agonyWhen the wires were removed they
lOoketuZzled aud three OF them took up
the elrodes as If to study them. large
blue mkey was SO interested that when re-
leasede seized the large sponge of the
electro and in a second was tearing il
apart II to find the current inside, The
reslstse Of the monkeys varied from 800
to 7,05hms.
Thea lion and hippopotamus were dead
failur.like the seal, from the wetness of
their les. The former displayed irritation
at onell while the latter took the full
force the battery without wincing.
Thegs were operated upon in the same
mannas those experimental with by the
MedicIegal society in this city last fall,
and W similar results. One, after having
amodte current passed through the base
of theain, and showing a resistance of
5000 Qs, began to act queerly few min
utes ar the experiment. and within half
hour swed symptoms SO like those of by
dropha that the keepers killed him.
Theld carniyora showed a keen sensi-
tivenGo the electric current, manifesting
every nptom Of rage and distress when
-azen hgle cell was employed. Their re-
slstanwas high, varying from 5000 to H.
600 Oh, A wolf to which a mild current
was aIed created considerable amusement
by sitt upon its launches and crying pit
eously
Elephants proved the star attractions
of they. They actually enjoyed the sen.
sation every instance, except when a
stronRurrent was passed through the
trunkNnen few cells were employed the
huge hts did not seem to feel the current
but wlthe full battery was applied they
rubbe,eir legs together. caressed visitor
and ker alike, aud squealed their appar
ent dht. Their resistance varied &C
cordin the points chosen for the appli
cationthe current, but averaged 1l,95C
ohms-