590 



Popular Science Monthly 



In making a long cast 

 the steel fishing rod was 

 thrown against high- 

 tension wires and the 

 fisherman was killed 

 almost on the instant 



A Warning to 

 Fishermen 



W11ILI-: lisliinK ill a 

 small Pennsylva- 

 nia stream the l^ev. W. 

 P. Perry was killed al- 

 most instantly when the 

 steel rod hi' was holdint; 

 became entangled in 

 high-tension transmis- 

 sion wires over his head. 

 He was wading in the 

 stream at the lime and 

 whipping tliewalerin till- 



usual way. With no thought of the live 

 wires he made a cast with the line and 

 there was a blinding flash. The current 

 of twenty thousand volts leaped down the 

 rod, coursed through his body, and killed 

 him before he could make an outcry. 



This is said to be the first instance on 

 record of the death of a man under such 

 circumstances. During severe winter 

 storms it is not infrequent to hear of 

 electrocutions, due to fallen live wires 

 hidden in debris. 



Expending Four Tons of Energy in 

 Playing the 'Cello 



ASIAIPLE air pla>ed on the \-iolon- 

 cello calls for a total expenditure of 

 energy equal to two and three quarter 

 pounds per note or more than four tons 

 of energy for the single selection. This 

 statement is vouched for by Professor 

 Poffenberger, of Columbia Universit>-, 

 who made some experiments in his 

 laboratory with the aid of the famous 

 Dutch 'cellist Michael Penha — experi- 

 ments made to determine the amount of 

 sheer physical strength recjuired to play 

 the violoncello in the style of a great artist . 

 A special apparatus is necessary to 

 conduct the tests. Against the surface 

 of a revolving carbon cylinder is sus- 

 pended a chalked point which is actuated 

 by a slender wire attached to the musi- 

 cian's finger. At each pressure the tension 

 vibrates along the communicating con- 

 nection and records 

 the energy expended. 



When Michael Pcnha played n simple Bach aria this instru- 

 ment registered an expenditure of more tlian four tons of cnergj' 



