Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1900 — Lost His Grip. [ARTICLE]

Lost His Grip.

"I have lost my grip.” This phrase is applied by men to an kinds of failure*. One of the technical usages of losing one’s grip Is in the case of telegraph operators. Many of the most skilled operators suffer at times from a loss of “grip," and are compelled to give way tempor-' arily to a substitute. This “grip” Is the hold on the key, and the moment the operator begins to lose the control of this "grip” he realizes a rest, although for only a brief time, is due him. Another, but unpleasant, term applied to this loss of “grip” is “telegraphers’ paralysis.” It shows Itself In many curious ways, all showing that the muscles brought Into play In working the keys are badly worn. One of the most skillful operators In Louisville, who is subject to these attacks, cannot send “P.” The Morse manual calls for five dots for this letter. The operator in question has, by some hook or crook, lost the power to stop at the fifth dot, and it is a common thing for him to warn the taker to look out for his “P’s.” Recently he asked a fellow-operator to watch him send “P’s,” and to stop him at the end of the fifth dot. It resulted that, although he would be warned at the fourth dot, the fingers, no longer mastered by the brain, would continue dotting beyond! the fifth.—SL Louis Republic.