The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-26


harmless when close-circuited through
the body. does not offer the same de-
gree of danger as the arc light or alter
mating current. The number of periods
per second, other things being equal,
seems to be the most important factor
in the death-dealing qualities of elec-
trctiy. The ordinary commercial alter
mating current, with from five to eight
amperes, and 800 to 1000 .-S!ts. with
per second, would kill in a few seconds
periods of alienation from 100 To l5O
any animal on the face of the earth.
When the periods are 100,0O0,000 to bill
lions per second. Il circuit which would
be fatal, at the commercial period be-
comes not only harmless, but the SEN
sation is most agreeable. DR.. Elihu
Thomson in his experiments has placed
himself in a circuit with~an alternat-
ing current of great frequency, with an
amperage of from 15 to 3 ampers.
Il have had the pleasure of wit
Messing some of DIR. Thomson's expert
ments and placed myself in circuit with
two incandescent lamps. which were
brilliantly lighted. and yet, the cur
rent was almost agreeable.
I'm this connection DR.. j. II. Kellogg
says: 4 have been able to pass through
my body currents of more than 5000
milliamperes, when currents of a guam
tity ten times less would be extremely
dangerous, il the frequency in the place
of being 100000 to 1.OO0,O00 per second
We're lowered to 100 per second, the
usual rate of alternating currents EN-
ployed for medical purposes
ELECTROCUTION.
According to newspaper reports
said Dr. Bishop, they use in New York
tate for the purpose of electrocution
"a pressure of |, 500 volts. And, accord
ing to DR.. Edwin J. Houston, in a pa
per before the American ilectrO-Ther-
apeutic Association in 1894, on Death
by the Alternating Current the re-
sistanCe of the body of the criminal by
the use of tie large electrodes saturate
with salt solution is reduced to 200 On
5000 Ohms. So, according to Ohm's
law, he receives from to re amperes
or from 5000 to 1900 millamperes. On
take ~ amperes multiplied by 1,50l
volts. Ne find that the criminal has
passing through his body 11.250 Watts
or 1l.250 Joules per second, equal to q
little more than IL horse power, 14t
| Watts to the horse power, each horse
power being equal to $50 foot pounds
per second. equals IL horse power
equal $3.50 foot pounds per second. Still
DR.. D'Arsonval of Paris has intma ed
that our criminals are not killed by
electricity, and leaves us to infer tina.
they are destroyed at the autopsy
D'Arsonval gives two methods 10y
which the alternating current kills;
| First, by the disruptive and electrolyt-
ic effects of the current: in these
cases he claims that death Is absolut,
and certain. Second by excitation OF
nerve centers. accompanied by arrested
respiration and syncobe. without lesion
| In these cases he claims that deatl
is only apparent
QUESTION OF CONTACT.
"The serious accidents from electric
| currents are caused by persons com
ing in contact with live electric wires
while they themselves are in connection
with the earth. or with some other con
Quoting material that is connected with
| the earth. A bare wire suspended
from an arc light or trolley wire thai
is poorly insulated, or where there Is
no insulation. may be innocent enough
in ITSELF and when not disturbed has
no current of electricity passing, but
| when touched by man or animal in
| contact with the earth, the current
is Immediately short circuited through
| the body to reach the earth and the
| amount of shock that the individual
receives depends upon the amornt oi
| electro-motive force. the perfect con
tact, and the resistance offered by tht
body, as well as the length of tim,
the current passes through the body
The body resistance depends upon the
| moisture of the skin or clothing. the
perfection of the contact and ths
| amount of surface exposed to contact
"A person whose dry clothing strikes
live suspended wire receives much
less shock than if the clothing were wet
or damp. If the hand should grasp Il
live wire and the hand be perfectly
dry, the shock would be less severe
than If the hands were damp or wet.
The current finds it's exit through the
course of least resistance, which might
lead through very important. structure
and death would be apt to claim it's
victim. The length of time that per-
son is subjected to the current IS a
question of great importance. as every
second adds wonderfully to ;ne horse
power and foot pounds that pass
through the victim.
TO RESCUE A VICTIM.
Every effort should be made TO lib
crate him at once. How is this to be
done? First. keep cool; don't lose your
| head. Do not place yourself in circu,
in trying to help others out. When the
| victim Is llne1ndN ana up among tEe
| wires. or on pole. nothing much can
! be done until the current Is shut off Il
/ the power house. Should the victim b.
| lying upon the ground. grasDing the
wire in one or both hands. take dr.
stick and push the person from the
| wire. or wrap a large dry silk hand
| kerchief around your hand and catch
| hold of the victims coat tail or dress
and pull him or her from the wire. AS
an extra precaution. if your own coat
is perfectly dry, you might place it up
on the earth to stand on. Under nC
consideration catch hold of. or tamcar
with in any way the wire, unless you
| are positively certain that you are
| thoroughly insulated by rubber boot 3
! or gloves. or both. Even then it Is bet
| ter to pull the victim from the wire.
| Remember always that the currerA fol-
! lows the course of least resistance and
| is not going to go out OF its path for
| the sake of running into you: nor will
| il vary its course If you get in the way.
| unless your body puts in more resist
ance than that of another circuit.
Therefore, never, under any circum-
| stances. when you are removing per-
| son from live wire, allow his body
| to leave the earth. Or In other words,
| don't lift him. Keep him to the earth,
| for when.his body leaves the earth your
body becomes the conductor, and you
| simply add another victim to the list.
| An iron rod or heavy copper wire run
| deeply i'm the ground. in such way
| that when the free end is liberated IL