Electricity Helps the Showman

Startling Tricks Carried Out with A.C. Magnets and Oudin Coil

Recently, there appeared at the Radio World's Fair at Madison Square Garden in New York City, a famous radio engineer known as Bernays Johnson. His demonstrations were spectacular and a never-ending source of wonder and entertainment to the huge crowds which flocked to the Garden. As a feature stunt, the exhibitor even allowed a powerful current to pass through his body without apparent harm. As he explained it, he had developed the faculty of being immune to electrical currents, and could stand these 350 amperes of current at a pressure of 2,200 volts, while an ordinary person would immediately be electrocuted. The “miracle man” provided further thrills by holding a small piece of metal in his teeth during the exhibitions, which seemingly melted in his mouth. The photo at the bottom of the page shows the electric chair with its contacts and straps. The diagram next to this photo shows just how it was possible to melt the metal without injuring the performer, or even requiring him to take the slightest amount of current through his body. Since the Fair, Mr. Johnson has gone on the stage with this and other acts, and it is really wonderful to notice the effect that 350 amperes of current at a pressure of 2,200 volts has upon his system. As is well-known high frequency currents can be handled with impunity and so the lecturer in the present case was in no danger. After the electric chair act is over, Mr. Johnson staggers around on the stage apparently in a state of the utmost physical exhaustion. It behooves the lecturer on high frequency currents to be somewhat of an actor. Bernays Johnson also fried eggs and sausages upon a block of ice, light lamps held in the hand which were connected to no electrical supply, and even went so far as to defy gravity. A large A.C. electro-magnet with an iron core was used to fry the eggs. The magnetic field set up electric currents in the frying pan and thus generated the heat which Mr. Johnson claimed was coming through the air in the form of cold heat, as the placard shown in the photo testifies. The same trick, of course, was used when lighting the electric bulbs. An A.C. magnet with a laminated iron core served to produce the effect of nullified gravity, which Mr. Johnson heralded as a world startling accomplishment. According to the master-mind, Bernays Johnson, these amazing feats were made possible by the use of cold heat or radio waves which were coming through the ether and performing these miracles. It may be well to mention that when melting the rod of metal, the connection was made to the end of a metal head band; at no time was the rod held in the mouth of the performer, although it could be with sufficiently high frequency to preclude the danger of shocks.

The drawing at the bottom of the page shows just how the metal rod was melted by using an Oudin high - frequency coil, to the secondary of which the metal rod was touched. The other end of the metal rod was connected to a metal headband to which was connected the ground. The photo at the bottom of the page shows Mr. Johnson seated in the electric chair with the rod held in hand.