Sharp County record., 1890-06-26
THE TORPEDO FISH.
Denlzens of the Sea Who Possess Power
ful Batteries rs Weapons.

1ul batteries as weapons.
Some years ago, young man, in all
the glory of his first knickerbockerS,
found himself in small village on the
New England coast, and, liking the To-
cation, determined to spend tho season
there The morning following his ar
rival he ran down to the beach, where
he found crowd OF red-shiIted men
gathered around fiat fish about three
feet in length. "We'ro trying to get
some one to hoft it," said an old soa-dog,
in answer to question. Lift it, Why
child could do that" remarked the
young man from the city.
"P'raps he could" replied the fisher
man, "but il you kin lug the fish from
here to the dory over yonder you kin
earn five dollars"
You're a fine lot of men," said the
city youth, with a laugh; cant lift
fish of that sizel Why, I'll wager the
same amount that | can throw it that
far"
The fishermen were very anxious to
take the wager, and finally the young
man approached, thrust his fin gers into
the eyes of the fish, and, il it had been
any other fish we might have said, pre-
pared to throw, but as it was the mo-
ment bis hands touched the fish
strange look Of surprise came over his
face, and those near by might have seen
certain rigidity of the muscles. lie
retained the same position for several
fnonfeffi t1s t11s. then, with many 4 grimaco.
asked to be relieved, and amid roars OF
laughter the fish was pulled from his
hands. When the young man had re-
covered his equanimity he confessed
that it was tho heaviest fish he had ever
attempted to lift.
The fish was the ray, known popularly
as the torpedo (torpedo marmoratus),
and one OF the most powerful of the
marine electricians.
1t is said that the physicians of Cleo
patra, Deoscorides, used these fishes in
medicine, and DR.. Walsh, f. II. s., was
probably the first to introduce its use in
England.
The experiment of DR.. Walsh created
craze that swept over this country
some few years ago. The most extrava-
CANT stories were circulated about the
fish and its marvellous powers of heal
ing, and it became fashionable fad to
go to the Isle of Re and take an electric
shock from tho fish of DR.. Walsh.
The living torpedo in these expert
ments was placed upon wet towel, and
from the fish extended two pieces of
wire, the ends of which rested in bowls
of water A circle of persons was
formed, those upon the end placing their
fingers in the water, and in this way the
shock was received by the entire party,
and often equaled that of Lcyden jar
in its intensity,
In examining the torpedo the cleo
trical apparatus is very noticeable, be-
ing made up of two large, fat bodies
lying on each side Of the head, The or
gans are composed of numerous prisms
placed vertically, each of which is sub
divided by delicate septa, forming small
cells, which contain clear, remulous,
ielly-liRo substance, In n specimen of
torpedo marmoratus one may count
nearly five hundred Of these prisms,
1t has been found that the upper side
of the fish is negative and the lower
positive, and that the power is entirely
at the will of the fish or under its con-
trol. Some curious experiments have
been made; thus, the scientist Marc2
applied y telephone to tho fish and at
every ordinary shock given he distinct
ly heard click When the fish WAS
greatly excited loud groan was heard,
which sounded like mi, and the dis
charge was prolonged four or five sec
onds,
The electric discharge of this fish Is
not Of sufficient power to kill n man un-
less he was In an extremely enteoblod
condition, but that It is fatal to other
fishes has been noticed on many occa-
sions. Moreau, n French observer, no.
tced turbot fall upon torpedo in .
fishing boat and the result was almost
instantaneously fatal, They loaped
high in air upon receiving the shock,
and fell back dead and rigid, and re-
moinod for some time bont in curve,
In appearance the torpedo is n Hat fish,
with u rounded head and short thicl
tail -ElecWical Review.