The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-29
A Physician Gives some Facts which
go 10 Prove that Earthquakes may
he Electric Phenomena.
-lFor the Dispatch.]

The theory of earthquakes is still incom.
plete, and although science has done much
to dvest the subject Of the mystery which
belonged TO It in former times, there Is still
a fearful sublimity aud reality about it. ANY
fact, however trifiing it may appear, Is
worthy of record in connection with this
subject, for we of this city realize the truth
of Humboldt when be says "To man the
earthquake conveys the idea of unlimited
danger" Many of us had believed that Is
we were out of the supposed earthquake
balt" we would always escape such a
calamity, or, If in reach of such a shock,
the strong granite base of the earth IN
this region would save Us, as the lime
stone and basaltic formations protected
portion of the city Of Lisbon in 1903. Re-
cent investigations, however, show that there
is probably no portion of the earth's surface
exempt from these commissions, and that
they are as great and as frequent in recent as
in former times. There is a record of three
thousand three hundred and forty shocks
occurring from 1900 to 1850, and since the
invention Of the seismoeraph it ls stated
that sin no instant Of time is the earth's
crust free from vibrations"
| read with much pleasure your able edl.
toral review of the article in BLack1cood on
this subject, iu which the writer endeavors
to prove that tbeSei shocks are due to cleo
tricity. In confirmation of this theory, let
me briefly record the following instances:
] have under my care lady who suffers
severely with headache and congestion OF
her eyes before and after every severe tnun.
der-storm: the greater the electrical dis
turbances the severer her headache, dc. The
day after the late earthquake this lady
informed me that the pain in her head and
sore eyes began an hour before the shock
was perceived in this city, and her suffering
had been greater than she had ever before
experienced. Another instance Is that OF an
exceedingly sensitive and nervous boy, about
nine years old, who is troubled with several
severe physical disorders during every
thunderstorm. This child awoke about 10
O'Clock the night Of the earthquake, and
asked bis nurse if there was not storm
coming up, as he felt ali of the symptoms
which usually affected him on that occasion.
He said that be had been dreaming, and
heard the rumbling of thunder. Another
case is that of young lady who laughiugly
describes herself as being, during thunder.
storm, an electric eel. She has no personal
fear during the storm, but electricity seems
to accumulate in this young girl and be dis
cD3FSeG ID SQOChS lTOu ueF Douss Sue SUI
fcrs also at the tine with nausea, pain IN the
head. and other troublesome symptoms. Be-
fore, during. and after the earthquake the
other night she experienced all OF these Gu
rious phenomena in an unusually severe
form. ...:...... ..rs,. zs .s..t.....
Without much Ipaysical fear of lightning,
I myself suffer with great depression during
4 severe thunderstorm. I am incapable at
that time of making much physical or
mental eXertiop. am constantly signing
and oppressed. with feeling of awe, or one
of foreboding Of evil. This terrible de.
preston was so strong upon me for several
hours before the earthquake that several
times left my room to examine the sky and
see if storm was not brewing.
It is true, some electrical condition indie
pendent Of the earthquake may have caused
all this, but as these symptoms have never
before occurred 10 any of the subjects men.
toned, except during thunderstorm, this
conjecture, at least, is improbable. Observa'
ton teaches Us that earthquakes come in all
weathers and at all seasons at Lisbon lie
clear autumnal weather, at africa when the
air was serene and tranquil. and in other
places when the sky was close and murkS.
NJ, D.