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Re: VanderGraaff safety (fwd)



There is a story (mayhaps an urban myth) about an experimenter who was
attempting to detect if he could feel anything from a 1.5 volt dry cell.
He had heard about being able to experience a sensation if he placed his
tongue on the + end of the cell. As I heard the story he constructed a
circuit with a wire from each terminal of a standard 1.5V cell with a
switch in one lead. He then soaked his hands in salt water and then
inserted one wire into the palm on one hand and the other wire into the
palm of the other hand. He then closed the switch and proceeded to
electrocute himself!!! The explanation was the the path from one hand to
the other went through his heart. Supposedly because the path was thru
his heart his heart muscle spasmed and locked up.

Again I have no direct knowledge of this anecdote. It was told to my by
my old, ancient, and venerable Physics mentor back in the 70's.

Does anyone know the authenticity of this myth???

Ray Rogoway, retired-untired

--
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep
And I have no more papers in a heap
And in the morning I can sleep
And stroll in those woods so dark and deep.
r. frosted