Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-09-18
SoSaInhata9.
PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING.

From tAe Ninth Nc. Of Dr.. Lardaer's Lsessyss.
The apprehension OF danger from light.
ming, and the socitode to discover aud
adopt means Of security against it. are
proporsioDste to the magnitude VI the
evils ilproduces rather than the frequency
Of their occurrence. The chances which
any individual Of he population Of large
city lncurs OF being struck with lightning
during storm are infinitely less thaa
those which he encounters in ais daily
walks of being destroyed by the casual
fall Of the buildings near which he passes.
or by the encounter oil carriages crossing
his path, or from the burning Of the house
IN which he lodges, or from thousand
Other Causes OF danger to which he expo.
SEES himself without apprehension. Still.
even those who possess the greatest sni-
NAL courage are struck with awe, and sf.
fected more or less by fear, when exposed
to The war OF the elements in violent
storm; and there are none ~ho, in such
Cases, will mol willingly avail themselves
OF any means OF protection which they
believe to be awaiting. AucusTus enter
tanned such dread OF lightning that IN
storms he took refuge in caves, thinking
that lightning never penetrates TO any
considerable depth IN The ground.
Strong lear, operating on ignorance,
has prompted. 10 times past and present.
multitude Of absurd and unavailIng ex-
pedIenls; among which, nevertheless
chance seems to have flung some 10 which
analogles 10 the results Of modern Science
are apparent Whena cloud meneced thur
der, The Thracians shot their arrows al IL.
The arrows, being metal, were conductors.
and, being pointed, had the virtue Of al
tracing lightning. PLINY states thai ihs
Etruscans had secret method By irhich
they could draw the Rghtaing from The clouds
and guide it at their pleasure. NUMA pos
sessedthe method, and TuLLus HosTILius,
committing some oversghls in the pefior.
nance OF the ceremony, was himself struck.
For NuMA substitute FRANKLIN, and for
'TULLus, RIcHMANN, and the Roman Ie-
gend is converted into true historical re-
cord Of the last century.
1t was formerly believed that persons
in bed were never stricken by lightning
and modern meteorologist, Mr.. Howard
apparently iavofs such an idea, by rela-
ting two cases in 1925, 10 which neds
wore completely destroyed by lightning
while the persons who lay in them we're
uninjufed. Against this, however, many
contrary instances may be cited. On thu
29lh OF September, 1879, Hearthley was
killed in his bed, by lightning, at Hmrow-
gate, while his wife, who lay beside hun,
escaped. Ga the 9th ofSeptember, 1919,
a servent was killed ia her bed at Confo-
lens. IN France. 10 1897, house was
struck with lightning at Kensington, near
London, where man and his wife were
killed in their bed.
The Romans believed that seals skin
was a preservative against lightning and
tents were made Of this material for tmid
persons TO shelter under in storms. AU.
GusTUs was always provided With seals
skin cloak. However Intellectual may be
such an expedlent, experience abundant
ly proves that the material OF the dress is
not without considerable influence on The
course winch lightning follows, and may,
therefore, augment or diminish the peril
of the wearers. When lightning struck
the church al Chaieau-neut- les Mouiiers,
during the celebration o. mass, OF tie three
priests who oficiated at the alter, Two
were struck dead and the third was iuiur-
ed. The vestmenls Of the laat were Of
silk.
There are some well attesled facts
which indicate relation between doLor
and the movements OF the electric fluid.
Three cases are cited in which horses and
oxen having white spots were struck by
lightning, and had all the white hair burn
ed off, while the remainder OF the hide
renamed unaltered.
IL has been supposed that certain species
OF trees ere proof against Lightning. and
never struck by il. TIBERIus was ac-
cuslomed TO wear a crowr Of laurel, from
the idea that lighting never struck ill.,
Observations made IN districts where ex-
tensIve forests present all varieties Of trees
TO the chances Of the storm. afford no
ground for any certain conclusions on this
subject.
When assailed by storm in an open
plain, the danger is greatly augmented by
seeking the shelter of "a tree. Experience
and theory combine to prove this. The
position Of geates. safety is such dis
lance from the tree that il shall act as
conductor. diverlIng the lightning from The
place assumed Tor safety. A distance Of
half a dozen yards may serve for this pur-
pose.
Glass being a non-conducior of eIec-
'rlcity, is generally supposed TO have
protective virtue. Thus il has been pre-
sumed that person enclosed in cage Of
lass exposed 10 thunder storm would
be IN absolute safety. This is proved to
De fallacy by many examples OF light
ming striking and penetrating the psnes of
and the frames of conservato.
ries.
Nothing is more clearly established
han thai pieces OF any kind, carried
about the person, augment the danger Of
being struck by lightning; and this in.
crease OF peril is greater in proportion to
he magnitude of the metallic appendages.
L., Al, \