Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!gatech!ukma!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnewsi!fiesta
From: fiesta@cbnewsi.ATT.COM (eric.c.beck)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Touching a "hot" connector
Summary: Is 240 "more lethal" than 120 ??
Keywords: touch, sensation, live, shock
Message-ID: <322@cbnewsi.ATT.COM>
Date: 23 Jun 89 02:49:10 GMT
References: <89Jun8.160452edt.10877@ephemeral.ai.toronto.edu> <814@corpane.UUCP> <427@edai.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 16

> Not recommended unless you don't mind the occasional jolt from the
> mains, which probably means your skin ought to be on the dry side. I'm
> talking about 250V mains, by the way. 120 is less lethal.

From what little I've been taught about electrical shocks and resuscitation
I seem to remember that 120 was actually "more lethal" than 240 ... something
to do with fibrillation (from a 120 shock) versus complete stoppage of the
heart with a 240 volt shock.  (It is harder to resuscitate an individual
in fibrillation(?)). 

I would suspect this all this depends on the current through the heart
muscle.  Perhaps someone applied Ohm's law with some practical  values
for body resistance, etc.

Eric Beck
fiesta@homxb.att.com