# electrocution



## SarahStrange (Jul 3, 2013)

My protaganist is a kick-butt female with a cattle prod-esque weapon called a baton. She is grabbed from behind. One of the man's arms wraps around her throat. To get out of the situation she sticks him with the 'baton'. I know that she would probably feel the electricity too (which is not counterproductive to the scene, so that's okay).

What I am concerned about is that the attacker getting electrocuted would make him further constrict his arm around her throat. This is counterproductive to my scene, since her electrocuting him is supposed to help her escape. I know one answer to my dilemma (if it does indeed constrict) is to just ignore it since it's fiction. However, I am trying to be scientifically accurate.

Here is a part of my description:  




> For a split second panic overcame her. She remembered the baton in her hand. She jabbed it into the torso of the watcher. An electric tingle ran through her body and set her heart in overdrive.




So, constrict? Not Constrict? I've read up on it and I'm just not sure.

Thanks!


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## Terry D (Jul 3, 2013)

Cattle prod, or taser-like? They are two different devices. A cattle prod will inflict a painful, but not debilitating jolt. A taser will overload the nervous system and cause the victim to lose control of their muscles. In either case, she would get just as much of the jolt as would her attacker, so it would not be an "electric tingle" but a full-force charge for her as well. If it were like a taser, dropping the victim, the muscles in his arm would temporarily constrict, but would then go lax, or 'twitchy' as the electricity passed and he lost control. A cattle prod applied to his torso probably wouldn't have a dramatic effect on his arm either way, but she would still feel the shock.


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## OurJud (Jul 3, 2013)

Yes, I think the scene may need to be choreographed differently. If the weapon the girl uses is powerful enough to floor the attacker, it will inflict just as much damage on her.

I know I'm simply echoing Terry here, but I just thought it worth adding that I agree.


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## ppsage (Jul 3, 2013)

> In either case, she would get just as much of the jolt as would her attacker, so it would not be an "electric tingle" but a full-force charge for her as well.


In both the taser and the (electric) cattle prod, the charge travels between two implanted electrodes, so unless she was in the circuit somehow  she'd feel very little. This is not really possible at all with the prod, as the electrodes are very close together and fixed in the wand; tasers use wires to connect the electrodes to the electrical source, which are long enough to theoretically attach to two different people, then the conductivity of their touching would be the critical factor, but probably even wide contact between bare skin would be much less effective than having both contacts connected by wet meat. French kissing? (There are reportedly videos of persons holding up tased subjects on the Taser website, I didn't check that far. There are apparently also multi-electrode tasers with computer analysed circuit control for use against groups of persons, although I didn't find that they have been tried in live situations yet.) It looks to me like you can use your device as planned but you'll probably wish to do your own research and reach your own conclusions.


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## Kehawin (Jul 3, 2013)

Here's something to think about:  If this is her weapon, does she have armor?  If possible, perhaps you can give her some sort of armor that deflects or otherwise protects her from the worst of the voltage.

On the original question, although I have never treated someone who was badly electrocuted, I do know that EMS training teaches that any electrocution victim needs to be treated as though he has a spinal injury, until proven otherwise, because high voltage electrocutions often cause arching and tetanic contractions, especially if near the spine or brain.  However, less intense electric shocks cause the muscles to contract further in whatever position they were already going.  So, that means, if he has her in a head lock and her weapon is set to "stun not kill", yes, he would probably contract around her.  If it were high enough to kill (stop the heart) then she is in danger of that herself.  

How about, if the armor idea doesn't work, the prod has such sharp points that it causes him to double over (guarding/splinting, like when you bend your knee and grab your foot when you stub your toe) and sends the shock a half a second later?  Hope that helps.


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## SarahStrange (Jul 4, 2013)

Okay, thanks guys!

All the research I did basically just confused me, so this is a help. I got the gist from all the websites (and my old physics textbook) I visited that unless one of the prongs of the baton were touching her too, she'd be okay. I just wasn't _totally_ sure. Having an actual person explain is much clearer than textbook language. 

I'm going to have her use the baton and feel a little of the electricity. Her being shocked a bit isn't bad for my scene since she gets caught in the end anyways. I'll have his arm contract and release when she takes the baton away. That way she'll escape at least for a few minutes.

Again, thanks!! :flower:


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