While not low voltage, I remember reading in the '60s in Scientific
American an article which mentioned how many milliamps of current was
enough to be felt / dangerous / deadly, etc. It mentioned that
substantially larger currents could sometimes even be safer as they could
cause involuntary muscle contractions which would interrupt the current
flow.

The example given was of a worker at a high-rise construction site in New
York who was changing out of his work clothes at the end of his shift in a
temporary shack that also housed the site electrical power connections.
While doffing his trousers he accidentally backed into a high voltage
panel. An estimated 60 amperes passed from one buttock to the other
through muscles that immediately straightened, propelling him through the
shack and its door and into two lanes of road traffic which immediately
stopped.

Because the current didn't pass through any vital organs, he only
sustained surface burns and various bruises and scrapes though the
electrical panel manufacturer's logo is now mirror-image tattooed to his
behind.

I've *gotta* find the source of all this...

Jim Horn, WB9SYN/6

"James Horn" wrote in message
...
: While not low voltage, I remember reading in the '60s in
Scientific
: American an article which mentioned how many milliamps of
current was
: enough to be felt / dangerous / deadly, etc. It mentioned that
: substantially larger currents could sometimes even be safer as
they could
: cause involuntary muscle contractions which would interrupt the
current
: flow.
:
: The example given was of a worker at a high-rise construction
site in New
: York who was changing out of his work clothes at the end of his
shift in a
: temporary shack that also housed the site electrical power
connections.
: While doffing his trousers he accidentally backed into a high
voltage
: panel. An estimated 60 amperes passed from one buttock to the
other
: through muscles that immediately straightened, propelling him
through the
: shack and its door and into two lanes of road traffic which
immediately
: stopped.
:
: Because the current didn't pass through any vital organs, he
only
: sustained surface burns and various bruises and scrapes though
the
: electrical panel manufacturer's logo is now mirror-image
tattooed to his
: behind.
:
: I've *gotta* find the source of all this...
: Jim Horn, WB9SYN/6


60 amps though "Human flesh" will cook it well done! 15mA through
the vital organs will kill! As little as 30 microamps will cause
a severe muscle reaction and not even the sturdiest will be able
to resist movement if the current reaches 2 mA.

Roger Gt wrote:

60 amps though "Human flesh" will cook it well done! 15mA through
the vital organs will kill! As little as 30 microamps will cause
a severe muscle reaction and not even the sturdiest will be able
to resist movement if the current reaches 2 mA.


Generally true, Roger, but *time* is as important a variable as well. To
cook anything well done takes substantial energy and that's a function of
current, voltage and time. The point of the story was that the effect was
immediate, the current flow brief, and the surface was still burned.

I don't volunteer to try recreating the experiment though!

Jim Horn, WB9SYN/6

"James Horn" wrote in message
...
: Roger Gt wrote:
:
: 60 amps though "Human flesh" will cook it well done! 15mA
through
: the vital organs will kill! As little as 30 microamps will
cause
: a severe muscle reaction and not even the sturdiest will be
able
: to resist movement if the current reaches 2 mA.
:
:
: Generally true, Roger, but *time* is as important a variable as
well. To
: cook anything well done takes substantial energy and that's a
function of
: current, voltage and time. The point of the story was that the
effect was
: immediate, the current flow brief, and the surface was still
burned.
:
: I don't volunteer to try recreating the experiment though!
:
: Jim Horn, WB9SYN/6
:


I wasn't trying to paint a picture, that was the story tellers
job, I only volunteered a little information. However, I do
doubt that he got 60 amperes through his buttocks! The current
would have caused the required impulse to part with the voltage
rather early on. (:)

I actually worked in a place where they were testing nerve
stimulus devices which allowed for diagnosing whether there was
damage in some particular part of the body. As a final test they
had the technicians put needles into their arms to take a sample
reading. I passed on that one. Those poor guys ever got stopped
by the police they would have a hard time explaining the tracks.