Re: Death Row HV Question

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Matthew Smith by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <matt-at-kbc-dot-net.au>

Hi Richard/All

I can't answer the questions in full, but relevant to this forum, I seem
to recall a BBC documentary about Tesla which I saw as a kid - Edison
(of the Thomas Alva variety) tried to discredit Tesla and this wretched
new AC thingy of his by having someone (condemned, one would assume) put
in an AC powered chair as opposed to the traditional DC, trying to prove
that AC was more dangerous.  (It took longer with AC.)

Anyhow, sufficient current flow across the heart muscle can cause
cardiac fibrillation/arrest, so I'd guess any flow from one side to
another or from arm to (grounded) legs. 

The fact that the Chair was used for executions is a stern reminder to
us all that electricity can (and does) kill - something that we should
never lose sight of when we are working with it.

Be safe.

Matthew

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<Robynsaddiction-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> Hello List,
> 
>         You know, I have been wondering what they typically feed the dreaded
> electric chairs. That is, what kind of voltage and amperage are we talking
> about here? Will a pulsed discharge kill you faster than just getting hit by
> your PIG? Is a blow from a Pole Pig a definite death sentence, or is it
> possible to survive such a nasty shock? On which part of the body would
be the
> most fatal place for me to take a shock? Perhaps from one hand to the
other, or
> would the head be the worst place to be hit. I'm not trying to be a sick
freak,
> but I am curious. Thanks to all who have the stomach to answer.
>
Richard