Wichita eagle., 1888-10-18
LIGHTNING'S EFFECTS,
A MAJORITY OF DEATHS OCCUR IN
THE LEVEL, OPEN COUNTRY.

Report Of Case Illustrating the Physical
Effects Of Lightning stroke-How the
Patients Consciousness Was Restored
A Technical Explanation.
The majority of deaths from lightning
occurs in the level, open country, trees,
villages and thiekly built up towns and
cities, by their projections into the air.
serving as conductors, and thereby pro-
| tecting the inhabitants from direct stroke.
| The loss of life annually throughout the
world is very great. In European Russia
from 1870 to 1877 no less than 2,270 per-
sons were killed by this cause. In Aus
tria during the same time 1,100 persons
were likewise killed In Prussia It is re-
! ported that seventy persons are annually
killed Ten thousand persons are re-
| ported as having been struck during a
! period Of nine snd-twenty years with
1852 deaths in France: while in the
United States during 1870 alone 2o2
deaths from Lightning were recorded.
The effects of lightning stroke are most
interesting, curious and appalling. The
general symptoms are usually of shock
There is often Inconsistencies, some
times coma, lasting from few hours to
even days; partial or complete loss Of
sight or hearing, associated with impair
ment of the other senses. The tissues
may be burned specifically or deeply. the
bones fractured, and portions Of the limbs
are torn off entirely. The tracks of light
ming on the surface of the body may have
fancied resemblance to the branches Of
q tree, the main stem from which the
branches lead off arising at any portion
- 81 I'D e1r ~, IL
may be simply scarlet in color. slightly
swelled or bEstered, the branches taper
ing of until no larger than the scratch Of
q pin They may pass in all directions
from the place first struck or skip about
the conduction Of the current By the
lent conductor.
AN INTERESTING CASE.
For the purpose Of illustrating these
taken from The Philadelphia Medical
News, reported by physician who was on
the spot the time the accident occurred,
DR.. J. B. Paige:
1.-THE current struck the chimney of the
house and passed down the studding near
the window to an iron hook Oh which was
suspended chain and bird cage, passed
from this to the head Of the lady, sitting
just inside the window. and beneath the
cage. above the left eye, midway between
the eyebrow and hair, which was sppar-
entity the part nearest the corner of the
bird cage; passed along in front the ear.
then to the central line of the chest,
descending by the stocking supporter,
which was attached to the corsets; thence
to the top Of the stockings, leaving marks
upon both limbs, but more especially upon
the left, on the back of which, Just
above the knee joint, was burn about
the size of ones hand. 1t had the ap-
pearance of an ordinary burn, and was
only superficial. No trace of the current
could be detected again until the foot was
reached, from which it passed off by the
joint of the great toe. tearing a place
about two inches in diameter in the stock
ing and slipper, but not leaving the
slightest mark upon the skin. With the
exception of the burned spot on the pos
terror part of the left leg, and one or two
small burns on the body and the right
leg. congested lines alone marked the
course of the electricity in its passage
over the body.
Her condition was found to be as fol-
lows: Completely unconscious; motion
less; muscles relaxed; left eye closed,
right open; face purple; pulse at wrist i'm
perceptible; neither heart sounds nor res
piratory sounds to be heard. At once
artificial breathing was resorted to. and in
from two to three minutes the first sign of
life appeared in q movement Of the left
leg. The blue color faded from the face,
and the pulse was felt at the wrist. Soon
q new train Of symptoms set in There
was difficult respiration. The mucus and
saliva, which were very abundant, had
gravitated back, and could not be swal-
lowed because Of complete paralysis of
the pharynx, etc. There was, in fact,
paralysis of ALMOST all the muscles of the
the arms The symptoms were those ex-
hibited by an animal when being asphyxi-
ated: violent muscular contraction, diff
cult and forced respiration. etc. Under
continued efforts consciousness returned
in three quarters of IN hour. A period
of four weeks elapsed before all the senses
and her general health was restored and
all paralysis had disappeared"
TECHNICAL EXPLANATION.
II this 90 we see the effects of. light
ming in a pronounced degree, and there
can be no doubt but that this person
would have died from the effects if the
physician had not been present to at once
resort TO artificial or forced respiration
and wrap the body to maintain the heat
necessary for life Respiration had
stopped and the heart was acting feebly
and very slowly, and every evidence, in
the complete inconsistencies and muscu-
lar relaxation, was present that death
Was ct hand. But By forced respiration
and preserved heat the oxygen supplied
and sent through the body BY the slow
and feebly acting heart revivifed the
stunned nerve ceaters, and life was
saved
The uncorsc,orsness was due TO the
shock impressed on the protoplasn Of the
nerve centers through the sensitive
nerves, and not BY the direct entrance of
the electric current or vibrations into the
protoplasm OF the brain cells; the effect
was physiological principally. net physi-
cal The physical effects were molecular,
as they must needs be, and are seen in
the bLstered, disorgauized skin and the
charred and rent clothing and shoes
Terrific as must have been the force at
play. these evidences OF the skipping Of
the current from the body to the better
conductors, the clothing and shoes, only
show that the physical effect vas OF the
surtaae- The profound molecular changes
resulting in the Inconsistencies, paraly-
sis OF senses, respiration and muscles,
was due to transformation Of the elec-
trical force or impulse, not only at the
pisces where its direct impact occurred,
but by the induced effects on aN the sur
face of the body, into sensation. which
was conducted through the proper chan
nels. the nerves. 70 the protoplasn of the
nerve eenters, thereby from its great