The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-07-20
USEFUL
Danger from Lightning
FROM Chambers Journal

ing to Kampfer, retire during thunder
storms into a grOtto, over which q els
tern of water has been placed. The wa
ter may be designed to eXtlngulsh fire
produced by the lightning; but more
probably it is intended as an additional
protection from electrical effects. water
is so excellent a conductor OF electricity
that, under certain circumstances, d
sheet of water affords almost complete
protection to whatever NAV be below;
h11f this does not prevent fish from being
killed bylightning, as Arago has pointed
out.
In the year 1870 lightning fell on the
Lake of Kirknitz, and killed all the hsh
init, SO that the inhabitants OF the neigh
borhood were enabled Ofill tWenty-elght
carts with the dead fish found fi0at1ng
on the surface of the lake. Ihat mere
deDth is no protection is well shown. by
the fact of those singular vitreOus tubes
called ~fulgurites, which are known to be
caused by the action Of lightning, often
penetrate the ground toa depth OF thirty
or forty feet, and instances have been
known in which lightning has assembled
from the ground to the stOrm-cloud, IN
stead of following the reverse course.
From what depth the ascending light
ming springs it is impossible to say:
When the Church of Chateauneuf-les-
M0IIblEIS WI as SUI Ny I1ShAiAA NSAA ing
divine service, two Of the officiating
priests were severely injured, while a
third escaped-WhO alone wore vest
ments ornan1ented with silk. In the
same explosion nine persons were Killed,
and upward of eighty injured.
Ithas been observed that dark-cOlored
animals are more liable to be struck
(otIer circumstances being the same) than
l~ight-colored ones. Nay, more, dappled
and pieba1d animals have been struck,
and it has been noticed that the hair ON
the lighter parts has come off at the
slightest touch, while the hair on the
darker parts has not been affected at all.
1t seems probable, therefore, that silk
and felt clothing, and thick black cloth,
afford a sort of protection, though not a
very trustworthy one, to those who wear
them. The notion has long been preva-
lent that metallic articles should not be
worn during q thunderstorm. There
IAN be no doubt that large metallic mas
ses, on or IN the person, attract dam
ger. AragO cites a cry noteworthy III
stance of this. On the 21st Of June, 1919,
while q thunderstorm was in progress,
there were assembled twenty prisoners
intle greathalI of Biberach Jail. Among
them stood their chief, who had been
condemned to death, and was chained
by the waist. Aheavy stroke Of light
ming fell on the prison, and b chief was
killed, while his companions escaped.
1t is not quite SO clear that small me-
taliC articles are sources of danger. The
fact that when persons have been struck
the metallic portions have been in every
case affected b. The lightning, affords
only a presumption on this point, since
it does not follow that these metallic II
ticles have actually attracted the light
ning-stroke. Instances in which a me
talic object has been struck, while the
wearer has escaped, are more to the
point, though some viii be apt to recog-
nlze there a PROTECTING agency rather
than the reverse. THERE'S" says Arago
"a source of danger where large assem-,
blages of men Or animals are present ii
the ascending currents OF yapor caused
by their perspiratlOn.n
Like water, moist air is a good con,
duetor OF electricity, and lightning is at
tracted in the same way, though not, O.
course, to the same extent, by an ascend
ing column OF vapor, as by a TeguIa
neutrality-suspicious.. 1t is on this &C
count, probably that fOcks of sheep ar
SO frequently struck and so many 0
them Killed by a single stroke. Barn
containing grain which has been hOuset
before it is quite dry are more com1nonl,
struck by lightning than other buildings
the ascending column of moist air bein:
probably the attracting cause in thi
case as in the former. When we ar
oyertaken by a thunderstorm in til
open air, preeaution is more necessar
than within a house. Itiswell to know
especially when no shelter is near, Wha
lis the most prudent course to adopt.
1t has been stated that there is DANCE
I'M running against the wind during
thunderstorm, and that it is better t
walk with than against the wind. On
should, even, it is said, if the wind
very high, u with the wind. The "a
ti0nale of these rules seems to be this
acurrent of air is produced when weru
against the wind, the air on the sid
turned from the wind being rarer tina
thessurrounaing air. A man so runnin
"Ieayes a space behind HMM which til
air is, comparatively speaking, rarefed
Lightning would be more likely to see
such q space for Its track than a regio
in which the air is D dense. An il
stance is recorded In which, during
d gale, lightning actually left a eondul
tor which passed from the mast of I'll
ship to- her WindWard side, in order
trayerse the space of rarefed air Oh ii
ships laIboard side.
I6 is quite certain that trees are vel
likely to be struck by lightning, al
therefore that it il an exceedingly dal
A&AONS A1aM%#0 hNhtlu N11NGE Trees HI
storm. No consideration of shelf
should induce any one to adopt SO dal
ger0us a course. The danger, in fact,
very much greater when heavy rain
falling, sineethetree loaded with mois
TIRE, becomes an Efficient lightning co
ductor. For similar reasOnsit is DANCE
0ua 20 seek the shelter OF q lofty bull
ing mot protected by a lightning co
duetor1 ~ q thunderstorm. One of i
most terrible c~atastropaes known in Il
history OF thunder-storsns occurred to
crowd 0f persons who stood hi tile nor.
ut vilagechuroh, Waitinguntil athn
d~er-shOWer should have passed aWay,
In the open air, when aleavy tilnrde
storm 5s progressing and noslelternef
the hest course Is to place ones self 81
moderate distance from some tall tire,
Franklin considered d distance DC abO
fifteen 0rtWentY feet the best, HenI
also considered RveO or six wards q sgii
Bile distance in the case of single IL.
BIT when the tree is lofty d s0meWh
gIplter distance il preferable.
The reader need hardly be reminds
perhaps, that tie necessity for TAXI
these precautions only exists when {
form iserealN raging close at hal
When the interval which e~IaTaes l
tween the Ightning-fasll and fhe thu
ier-neaI issNelasto show TINT il esto1
is in reality many miles aMay.i 1T il All
gether unnecessary to take D~reeaufie
af any sort, however brilliant the fla
may be, or however loud the neal.
must be noticed, however, that d sfa
often travels very rapidly. Iftheint
valM time between the lightning Il
thu fh51saHar IL anun4eUaI - 1iY5f.ss