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

BrepeH, in 1867, the metal band snd gold
button on the hat Of NJ. JALLABAT emitted
sparks.
CONSTANTINE relates that, in l749 a
lady, wearing on her arm gold bracelet,
raised her hand to shu; the window du.
ring thunderstorm the brac. lei sud-
denly disappeared--no, The slightest trace
Of II remained. The lady was slightly
wounded.
Brydone relates tina, lady Of his ac.
quaintance, Mrs. Douglass, ting at an
opsn window during storm, had her hoa-
net completely destroyed, but suffered 10
injury in her person. He accounts t'r
this by the wire on the form the bonnie:
attracting the lightning.
These and many other Instances which
might be mentioned, sufficiently prove that
safety is best consulted in time OF storm,
by laying aside all metallic appendages Of
the person, such as chains, watches, ear.
rings, hair ornaments, &c. The source
OF the greatest danger is in the bars or
plates Of steel which are used IN the cor.
sets Of females, and which ought to be
abandoned by all ladies' who do not desire
to invite the approach of lightning.
Ii has been already shown tina, when
lightning passes alope line Of conducting
matter, the only points where explosion
takes place and damage ensues, sre al
the parts where lightning enters and leaves
the conductor and as necessary conse.
quence of this,all interruption Of contnu.
" in any part of conductor or series
Of conductors is attended with explosion
and corresponding damage. Since, then,
the bodies Of men and animals aft I'd a
free passage to the electric fluid, il may
be- expected by analogy that when light
ming is transmitted through chain Of an
finals, either in mutual contact or connec-
ted by conductors, the chief il not the on
ly injury would be sustained by the first
and last individuals of the series. This
principle is accordingly supported by the
results o. experience. The following III.
stances will ILLUSTRATE:
On the I'd OF August, 1855. stable al
Ramboniiet was struck by lightning. 4
file of thrty-two horses received the fluid i:
OF these, the first was laid stiff dead, and
the last was severely wounded. The in.
termeda.e thirty were only thrown down.
On the 22j Of August, 1903, lightning
struck schoolroom in Konnau, IN Switser-
land. Five children read together on
the same bench: the first and the last
we're struck dead, the other three only
sustained shock.
At F2avigny Cote, e'Or) lightning
struck chain Of five horses, killing the
first two and the last two, and the middle
horse suffering nothing. Al village in
Franchs Comte. lightning struck chain
Of FIVE horses, killing the first and last
only. At Prauile, near Chartres, mil.
Ter walked between a horse and mule
loaded with grain lightning struck them,
killing the horse aud mule. The man
was unnurt, except that his hat was burnt
and bis hair singed.
The danger from lightning during storms
NAV be essened by observing some pre-.
cautions suggested by the known proper
ties of electric fluids. Chlmneys often
afford an entrance 10 lightning, the SCOT
which Ines them being conductor. Keep,
therefore, at distance from them. Avoid
the neighborhood of all pieces Of metal,
gilt objects, such as the frames OF glasses,
pictures, and chandeliers. Mirrors, be-
ing silvered on the back, augment the
danger. Avoid the proximity Of bell wires.
The middle of large room in which no
chandelier is suspended is the safest posi-
ton, and is rendered still more so by stan.
ding on plate Of glass, or cake Of rosIn
or pitch, or sitting IN chair suspended by
silken cords.
The danger of being struck with light.
ming is augmented BY being placed in a
crowd of persons. The living body be-
ing conductor Of electricity, connec-
ted mass Of such bodies is more likely to be
stricken, for the same reason that large
mass oe metal is more liable han small
une.
Besides this, the vapor which arises
from the Transportation Of Il crowd Of per.
sons, rising through the air plays the part
of a conductor, and attracts the lightning
IN the same manner as n metallic rod,
though in less degree. For these rea-
sons, those who are very solicitous for
their personal security, should not remain
in churches, theatres, or places Of public
assembly, during storm. The same eau
ses expose hocks of sheep and herds OF cat
tie or horses collected together IN the same
stable, to increased danger. Barns and
granaries are liable to exhale vapour in
such quantities as to produce column of
conducting matter above them, and are,
for this reason, often struck by lightning,
when not provided with the means of pro.
lection afforded BY PARAToNNERRTs.
II sometimes happens that lightning
falling among a crowd selects an individ.
ual through whose body II passes to the
ground, neglecting the rest, and this with
out dlscoverable cause.
A case has already been mentioned IN
which this occurred from the influence of
mass Of metal concealed behind the wall
against which the person who suffered
stood. But cases are not wanting in which
we are compelled to admit that different
indlvidualsare endowed with tho conduc-
ting power in different degrees, and,
therefore, that the Lightning strikes by pre-