Killer plug-in vibrator

[snopes]

Comment: While reading through the Hagerstown Md newspaper in 1976 I read
of a couple... named, but, without the same last name found dead in bed.
I was in the military working at Ft. Ritchie in the medical unit.
Well, an edict came down that all medical personnel would receive EMT
(Emergency Medical Tech) training.
We went through the usual jokes, like "Shot with an Arrow in the Cheek"...
Which Cheek, left... right... upper?(mouth)

Well, I asked the instructor about the mysterious story from the
Hagerstown newspaper and a shock came to his face (that someone knew
private information) then a smile then laughter thats only used to soften
a macabre event. He had been called to the scene and knew all the
information.

Seems the guy in the story had fashioned a homemade electric vibrator that
plugged into the wall (no batteries).

They had both finished their shower and ended up on the bed still wet.

The vibrator was not grounded properly with the house current.

Need I say more?

[Sweeney_Todd]

I remember electric vibrators from the 60's and 70's. they were not sex toys but used to relax muscles when giving a massage. they weighed a couple pounds and you wore them on the back of your hand, slipping your hand thru straps. This is probably what the person made.

[Brad from Georgia]

Originally Posted by Sweeney_Todd

I remember electric vibrators from the 60's and 70's. they were not sex toys but used to relax muscles when giving a massage. they weighed a couple pounds and you wore them on the back of your hand, slipping your hand thru straps. This is probably what the person made.

In my day they was powered by steam, by cracky. "Shovel some more coal in, got to keep 'er rollin'," that was the battle cry.

[Chloe]

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

In my day they was powered by steam, by cracky. "Shovel some more coal in, got to keep 'er rollin'," that was the battle cry.

Poor old Cracky. I miss him.

[Brad from Georgia]

Originally Posted by Chloe

Poor old Cracky. I miss him.

Me too. I think Anne Macaffrey done him in, if you look in that other thread.

[Astra]

I can verify that similar incidents have occurred. I have seen the crime scene photographs of a couple (from the decor in the bedroom, it could have been this case, it looked a bit like that JC Penney catalog a few threads over) who were electrocuted due to a homemade device. It did plug into the wall, and it was also not grounded. The main component of the device was an aquarium pump.

The photographs I saw were part of a lecture during a seminar a few years ago. I remember the speaker, but I think they were part of the department collection and not necessarily from a case he handled. Anyway, I'll see what I can do about confirming the details.

[blucanary]

Originally Posted by Sweeney_Todd

I remember electric vibrators from the 60's and 70's. they were not sex toys but used to relax muscles when giving a massage. they weighed a couple pounds and you wore them on the back of your hand, slipping your hand thru straps. This is probably what the person made.

Actually doctors invented them in the turn of the century to relieve women of "hysteria" and well yes they were like sex toys.

[Ezri]

I really don't understand why someone would MAKE their own massager/vibrator when you can very easily go out and buy one for 10 bucks. My....er um...massager was only 7.50 and it does the job every time!

[Jay Temple]

This was similar to one of the jokes in Top Secret, a film Val Kilmer would like us to forget about. A character died because he used an American-made vibrator in Europe and failed to account for the difference in their electrical wiring.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Jay Temple

This was similar to one of the jokes in Top Secret, a film Val Kilmer would like us to forget about. A character died because he used an American-made vibrator in Europe and failed to account for the difference in their electrical wiring.

So that can actually kill you?

[Astra]

E-mailed the guy, no reply yet. Hopefully he's still at that address.

Originally Posted by Sweeney_Todd

I remember electric vibrators from the 60's and 70's. they were not sex toys but used to relax muscles when giving a massage. they weighed a couple pounds and you wore them on the back of your hand, slipping your hand thru straps. This is probably what the person made.

Um, if it is the same case I saw, no. I couldn't identify all the pieces, but one end was an insertable object that was... er... in place, at the time of death. Cords connected that object to another bit of machinery (not sure if it was a power adapter or what was inside) and then the cord went to the wall.

Originally Posted by Ezri

I really don't understand why someone would MAKE their own massager/vibrator when you can very easily go out and buy one for 10 bucks. My....er um...massager was only 7.50 and it does the job every time!

I don't get it either, but I don't think these guys were going for a substitute for your average handheld toy. I couldn't tell for sure, but I think a "standard" model may have been the aforementioned insertable end. My feeling was that the couple had moved beyond the usual toys but couldn't afford the crazy high-end machines out there.

[TuFurg]

Originally Posted by Artemis

So that can actually kill you?

In the movies anything can kill you

[Sweeney_Todd]

I remember an Episode of I Love Lucy where one of the characters is getting a massage and the masseuse is using a a vibrator strapped to his/her hand. I have also seen them at garage/yard/boot sales. The on; reason I knew what they were was because of the Lucy Episode.

So that can actually kill you?

"We found your friend impaled upon a large electronic device.. The surgeons did all they could, but it took 3 hours just to remove the smile from his face."

[Ravenhull]

Originally Posted by Sweeney_Todd

I remember an Episode of I Love Lucy where one of the characters is getting a massage and the masseuse is using a a vibrator strapped to his/her hand. I have also seen them at garage/yard/boot sales. The on; reason I knew what they were was because of the Lucy Episode.

An episode of M*A*S*H had one too. Margrett was massaging Frank's shoulders when a superior came in she snapped a salute... big black buzzer and all.

My dad had one of those things which he would occasionally use when he had 'company.' I knew it was in use cuz the TV would fuz up when it started.

[dodger_stl]

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

In my day they was powered by steam, by cracky. "Shovel some more coal in, got to keep 'er rollin'," that was the battle cry.

LOL ... you know I know this came off as a joke (yes pun intended), but last night on HBO they had an interesting show on in which they mentioned about older model "personal massager's" actually being steamed power ... prior to the invention of batteries and such ...

Rather ironic timing with this thread and that show ...

Dodger