cause both the voltage and amperage have been
greatly lessened through poor contacts and great resistance of
clothing and dry skin, and also because the heart is not usually
included in the circuit.

Death is induced in one of three ways: 1. Currents of enormous voltage
and amperage, as occur in lightning, actually destroy, burst and burn
the tissues through which the stroke passes. 2. Usually death follows
accidents from industrial currents, owing to contraction of the heart,
the effect being the same as observed on other muscles. The heart
instantly ceases beating, and either remains absolutely quiet, or
there is a fine quivering of some of its fibers, as seen on opening
the chest in experiments upon animals. 3. A fatal issue may result
from the passage of the current through the head, so affecting the
nerve centers that govern respiration that the breathing ceases.

=Symptoms.=--These are generally muscular contractions, faintness, and
unconsciousness (sometimes convulsions, if the current passes through
the head), with failure of pulse and of breathing. For instance, a
man who was removing a brush from a trolley car touched, with the
other hand, a live rail. His muscles immediately contracted throwing
him back, and disconnecting him from contact with the current (500
volts). He then fainted and became unconscious for a short time. The
pulse was rapid and feeble, and the breathing also at first, but it
later became slower than usual. On regaining sensibility the patient
vomited and got on his feet, although feeling very weak for two hours.
Unconsciousness commonly lasts only a few moments in nonfatal cases,
but may continue for hours, its continuance being rather a favorable
sign of ultimate recovery, if the heart and lungs are acting
sufficiently. Bad after effects are rare. It is not uncommon for the
patient to declare that the accident had improved his general
feelings. Occasionally there is temporary loss of muscular power, and
a case has been reported of nervous symptoms following electric shock
similar to those observed after any accidental violence. Burns of
varying degrees of intensity occur at the point of entrance of the
current, from slight blisters to complete destruction of all the
tissues.

=Treatment.=--The treatment is completely outlined in the "first-aid"
directions. Should contact be unbroken, an order to shut off the
electric current should at once be telephoned to the station.
Protection of t