SINGULA USE FOR ELECTRICITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2437, 28 October 1886, Page 2

SINGULA USE FOR ELECTRICITY.

A savant named IJenii Iloget,. hailing, fr.un Lyons, Ims, it is stated, a now use for electricity. He has a patent to apply it as a substitute for a cat.-o'-iime-.toils-iii corporeal punisli|iie»t-. Tho , ,cul[>fifev* having lieen undressed,. is Securely,, strapped ton steel trianglu, which is connected with one polo 'of a powerful' battery. The othor pole is .connected with the whip, Which .consists of a number of steel wires covered with.k sponge. This whip is dipped in water, before the stroke is administered, and \vhorover the wet wires touch an ■ electric ' discharge takes place. The inventor claims that the chastisement can.be made so mild .as not to injure ii school-girl- while on the other hand, by increasing the power of the battery, a punishment can 'bo aduiinistered besides \:hich the knout would bo mere child'B play, and at the same timo no injury be inflicted, the disgusting spectacle of a lacerated back being avoided, and the culprit, instead of having to be'sent'to the hospital to have his wounds healed, can be put to work live minutes after tljo flowing is over. M. Ruget intends petitioning General Boulanger, tho French Minister of War, lo allow his'patent to bo used experimentally on the next- soldier sentenced to tho cat, Flogging is not in existence in the French army, nor is it likely to. bo introduced :to test ■ tho maoliine.— rllooiornl World.