Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-19
DANGERS OF ELECTRICITY
Under Varying Condition.-AdvisnbiIi-
ty of Avoiding Contact with an
Electrical Conductor OF Any Kind.
From the Literary Digest.)

tFrOm the Literary DigeSt.)
How powerful an electric current may
a man with %impunity allow to pass
through his body? We hear of persons
escaping after contact with electrodes of
high voltage. and again OF those to
whom an apparently small voltage has
proved fatal. The explanation is that
the strength of current depends not only
on the voltage. or difference of electric
tension at the terminals. but on the re-
sistence of the conductor. Before we can
know tho amount OF current that has
really passed through the body We must
first know its electric resistance, and this
is a very variable factor. In a recent
issue Of the Chemiker Zeitung. Herr
Hermann Zipp. the lecturer Mt the NUM-
cipal polytechnic at Kothcn. discusses
the danger to human line from accidental
contact with an electrical current. To
quote an abstract from the London Elec-
trical Review: "CDr Zipp) comes to the
conclusion that the extent OF the injury
is not entirely due, as Is generally mag
ined to be the case by nortechnical peo-
pie, to the voltage Of the current, but
partly or mainly depends on the guam
tity OF electricity which Is caused to
flow through the human body, and upon
the parts OF the system 10 which It pen
ctrates, The experiments that have been
carried out on the physiological influence
of electrical currents show that n part
OF their effect is due to their electro
chemical action upon the liquids Of the
body, and part TO the injury done 10 the
most important organs by contact with
the current OF electricity"
The author discusses various actual or
possible accidents under four headings:
% Simultaneous contact with both con-
d~uctors; (2) contact with only one con-
ductor: co contact with the charging
current" In alternating installations; 90
danger during the reduction in voltage of
a current. Wherc there Is contact with
both conductors. the author finds that
in certain conditions. such as a chemical
factory or a mine where the atmosphere
IS damp, a man may be injured by con-
tact with a l10-volt current. because his
personal resistance is lowered. We read:
1T Is even possible in some cases. where
the air is loaded with acid vapors. that
the conductivity Of the human skin may
be greater still. so that death may he
ca used by contact with a current OF 10
volts. In practice. however, this cirCum-
stance does not involve great risk. be-
cause It is moro easy 10 eliminate the
dangers attendant upon an electrical
n,or. .ho, ,boea -, anv other form n,
n,aoh,rarv.
r,a outbo. c,tos \ nurhor q, casas NJ
aoa,,a,, froro prues,o, Government re-
49,, =, IN ,ata, ,cc,dorts in copnactto,
nn.I,h r,t,ne during 100, II wa, sbou,r
that the lowering OF the body-reststance
g., ,.r, o,r a IN ,u,ort,r, ,,otor
~ orr,or. accident. tb,t ,ocurro1
.ou y..rs , 4, Ko+bsr g.. .b,, do
sort,a,. ..rbo onror ~ n h,tbln1 ast,b-
,,.h-.,t u,ho L,,u, u,t,o =, oloo,r,.,t,,
80 ~. a., q, ir..ou,,e an .,ectric.,
,a,h IT. o,.od - r,ir 81 e,.ctrodos
~, .ho ,uoor5s nt sr,ner hath con.
noo,a, .hau r,i+r .he oo-yoI, a,tornotirS
a,ro,t, - su,n,v and
$50. 49, a. rnor btr..,r A, ,,o
-. .n,or,r ,ha h.+b ro r.cot,nd
.nenn. ,uona ha,5 - too+ ana oui,,
a.. n.ra,o 90 NJ. hody hoIr, ,ou,.
.. 49,, oon,ao, u,i., .,o u,otor tho o.
g.. no. ,n,,o,,o,oous death"
49,. .. .,so uo arc
,o,d .,r,r,,,raoro contact with tho two
,.iros =, oirourt ,rod,oo. -, orfoo, o..
ou o,.bor ,,o,,.o ~, nor,s slim &c dr,
ora ~ ,orm. on ovoo,,o,t incubation or
hooouso tho crrr.rt nsseos ,i,bout COM
,rg near erv CRITICAL orcan Wa read.
For ox,mn,. some time ago tbc writer
bIusol, occ,den+,,,v n,aced ono hand bo-
tusep tho Wv contact niccas ~ q , nn-
volt transformer IN such conditions that
Tho curren, na.sed 1or n distance al
about two ,nches through his Josh THE |
effect wa. n severe shock 10 the system
ava a momentory combustion or tho
chin hut M further III effects fo,,owed
II bowever tho contact, had hoen made
win hot, hands q current eouo, n 100
militia nnores would have nassed througb
his .vstou oven ~ his resistance had
heen as h,rh nc 10 900 ohms and daath