[sci.electronics] Electric current and the Human Body

akers@oliven.olivetti.com (Rob Akers) (08/08/89)

Reading the articles about electric shock reminded me of a "game"
some friends and I played once when were in junior high school.

One guy had an autotransformer from radio shack (0-140V).  As a 
test of machismo, one of us would hold on to the output while the
voltage was increased until we couldn't stand it.  The "winner"
was the one who got to the highest voltage.

This was filed away in my memory under "stupid things I did in
my youth".


Rob Akers

barry@hprmokg.HP.COM (Barry Fowler) (08/09/89)

 akers@oliven.olivetti.com (Rob Akers) writes:                     


>Reading the articles about electric shock reminded me of a "game"
>some friends and I played once when were in junior high school.
>
>One guy had an autotransformer from radio shack (0-140V).  As a 
>test of machismo, one of us would hold on to the output while the
>voltage was increased until we couldn't stand it.  The "winner"
>was the one who got to the highest voltage.
>
>This was filed away in my memory under "stupid things I did in
>my youth".
>
>
>Rob Akers
>--------- 

I remember when I was a kid, at the Disneyland Arcade, there were two
machines in there.  One cost 2 cents to run and had two door knobs on it.
A slowly increasing voltage was presented to the knobs, along with
a man with a spear moving in an arcing path toward a dragon.  One was 
supposed to "spear the dragon" (and get a consequently higher voltage
through your body) as time went on.  It took about 10 or 15 seconds to
reach the maximum.  'Made the veins pop out in yer arms.

Then there was the 5 cent machine....

It used an automotive magneto.  On the front it said something like:
"Electricity is Life".  It had a large dial on it with different 
categories.  eg:  wimp, a little better, big guy, Sylvester Stallone
(or something equally macho).  It increased in voltage REAL SLOW.
'Couldn't do that one (musta been a wimp or something).

Anyway, it was interesting that the current path for both machines
was from one arm, through your chest, to the other arm.

Maybe that's what got me interested in the wonderful field of electronics :-)

OSHA and all of those other "safety types" would probably turn over 
in their graves.  'Wonder if the machines are still there?  Anyone know?

Barry (blackened wall sockets in my room) Fowler