[LM112062], Letter from Arthur Edwin Kennelly to Frederick Peterson, August 16th, 1889
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LM112062
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Metadata
- Title
- [LM112062], Letter from Arthur Edwin Kennelly to Frederick Peterson, August 16th, 1889
- Editor's Notes
- [first page is incomplete] ". . . in giving you the following particulars relating to the questions in your letter of the 14th inst. ## I took the measurement of the resistnace of 300 persons fo Mr Edison in a manner described fully in the Electrical World of three weeks ago. The measurements were all made as nearly as possible 30 seconds after the first application of current. The average resistance between the electrodes under the particular conditions employed including [illeg] and skin was 1000w of which 200w appeared to be located in the epidermis and the remainder in the arms and trunk. The hands were immersed in dilute [illeg] up to the ulnar conduyle. No measurement exceed 2000w. It is incorrect to say that the resitance of the human body could reach 50,000w or anything approaching that value under conditions similar to those we employed. ## There is reason to believe that an alternating current would reduce the resistance of the subject more rapidly than the continuous current, but it is a theoretical reason and having yet so far as I know any experimental [corroboration]. ## I can also quote should you desire it a medical authority in England who states that the [resis of the subject?] he tested and frequently tested between the immersed hands was on the average 1,000w. ## 30 milliamperes of continuous current is as you say quite harmless but an average of 30 milliamperest from an alternating current means [48?] amperes and---at the peak of each wave and is if not harmful 12 times more than I can take under actual measurement, without [pain?]."
- Author
- Kennelly, Arthur Edwin
- Recipient
- Peterson, Frederick
- Date
- 1889-08-16
- Type
- Letter
- Folder ID
- LM112-F
- Microfilm ID
- 109:339
- Document ID
- LM112062
- Publisher
- Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University
- License
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Has Version
- Archive.org Viewer, Microfilm Series Reel 109