# if someone gets electrocuted can you really see their bones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580 "2000-07-23T23:12:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![skeleton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@skeleton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skeleton)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/1 "2000-07-23T23:12:40Z")
jus wondering if it’s true or a myth and if it’s a myth how did it get thought up? ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/2 "2000-07-23T23:17:44Z")
Yes, it’s true. It’s also true that after saving someone from drowning, they will usually cough up a fish. Oh, and after falling off a cliff, you should peel yourself up and shake yourself out. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/3 "2000-07-23T23:21:42Z")
It’s a myth unless they are electrocuted by fluoroscope and that is a slow, lingering type of death. It’s a sight gag. The predecessors of Ren & Stempy thought it up. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/4 "2000-07-23T23:24:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChiefWahoo \* > \*\*Yes, it’s true. It’s also true that after saving someone from drowning, they will usually cough up a fish. Oh, and after falling off a cliff, you should peel yourself up and shake yourself out. \*\* Dammit Chief, that is confidential information. You can’t just be telling it to anyone! ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/5 "2000-07-23T23:28:08Z")
Well, how about that? I got a smart-ass answer in before **tc** did. Now I can die a happy man. Of course it would be nice to see him get an _actual_ answer in before someone. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/6 "2000-07-23T23:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChiefWahoo \* > \*\*Well, how about that? I got a smart-ass answer in before **tc** did. Now I can die a happy man. Of course it would be nice to see him get an _actual_ answer in before someone. \*\* I’m crushed! Isn’t “It’s a myth” the first correct answer to the OP? ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/7 "2000-07-23T23:39:47Z")
Oh, these damn technicalities. Fine, you answered the question. I wasn’t expecting it and you caught me by surprise. ---
**Author:** ![m3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6f9a4e/32.png) [@m3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/m3)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/8 "2000-07-23T23:48:39Z")
Cartoons do seem to be the source. It’s interesting that they chose that effect to show electrocution. It seems that a rapibly shaking character with its hair on end might be a little more natural, but hey its a cartoon. Maybe its some association with light bulbs. Somehow our bones were supposed to light up and glow like light bulbs and shine through our flesh. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/9 "2000-07-24T00:08:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChiefWahoo \* > \*\*Oh, these damn technicalities. Fine, you answered the question. I wasn’t expecting it and you caught me by surprise. \*\* That’s what you get for beating me to a smart-ass answer. Anyway, your answer was better than I could have done. ---
**Author:** ![dragonlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@dragonlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonlady)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/10 "2000-07-24T00:34:03Z")
You guys forgot that if you hit someone on the head with a frying pan, their head will take the shape of the pan…until they shake it out!!! ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/11 "2000-07-24T00:37:12Z")
Nooo… when someone drowns FIRST you must pump their arm to get all the water out… thats when the fish comes out. duh. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/12 "2000-07-24T05:08:23Z")
You all forgot ‘Accordian Syndrome’ :). It’s a known medical fact that if some one is completely flattened, which is actually possible, they are folded not unlike an accordian. Other symptoms include a noise like a slowly played accordian. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/13 "2000-07-24T05:57:11Z")
I think that it came form an association between eloctrocution and x-ray machines. In both cases, you’re having some mysterious scientific “stuff” that most people don’t understand go into your body. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/14 "2000-07-24T06:13:54Z")
See [Captain Kirk Meets the Roadrunner](http://23.cyberhost.net/lodden/humor/trek/roadrunner.html) for more on this fascinating topic… ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/15 "2000-07-24T08:55:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChiefWahoo \* > \*\*Yes, it’s true. It’s also true that after saving someone from drowning, they will usually cough up a fish. Oh, and after falling off a cliff, you should peel yourself up and shake yourself out. \*\* Thank You That was damn near the funniest thing I’ve read on this MB. I was laughing so hard, the guy I work with had to come read it over my shoulder because I couldn’t read it out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/16 "2000-07-24T10:52:39Z")
Also, when you’re running a bit too fast (for example, whilst in pursuit of a large bird) and accidentally run over the cliff, you will hover in mid air for a few seconds untill you realise that there is no more ground supporting you. Only AFTER the realisation you start to fall down. And if you reach the ground, you will submerge yourself in a body-shaped spread-eagled crater, from which you emerge 5 seconds later. Birds will be flying around your head as you exit, and there will be a big 4 inch red lump sticking through your fur. And I just _know_ someone’s gonna make a sexual remark about red lumps and fur now. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/17 "2000-07-24T11:42:24Z")
I do wish you guys would stop destroying my most cherished beliefs. Is nothing sacred? I guess next you will be telling me that Wily E. Coyote cannot actually order stuff from Acme and have it delivered instantly. ---
**Author:** ![dubikan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@dubikan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dubikan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-gets-electrocuted-can-you-really-see-their-bones/26580/18 "2000-07-24T12:01:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*Also, when you’re running a bit too fast (for example, whilst in pursuit of a large bird) and accidentally run over the cliff, you will hover in mid air for a few seconds untill you realise that there is no more ground supporting you. Only AFTER the realisation you start to fall down. > \*\* Also known as the Subjective Gravity syndrom. There’s a role-playing game called Toons (from Steve Jackson) that has all these things in an fine ordered list, WITH EXPLANATIONS! Dreadful game, but a fun read. 🙂