Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-23
EFFECT OF LIGHTNING.
Numerous Deaths Occurring in An
 Parts of the World.
Curious and Appalling Freaks of This Sud- don and Unexpsctod Agent of Destruc- tion-A Physician's Report of .
 Philadelphia WomAn's Case.

elon-A PhySician's Report or .
 Philadelphia WomAns Case.
 The majority of deaths from light ming occurs in the level, open country, trees, villages and thickly built-up towns and cities, by their projections into the air, serving as conductors, and thereby protecting the inhabitants from direct stroke. The loss of life an nually throughout the world is very great. In European Russia from 1870 to 1877 no less than 2,270 persons were killed by this cause. In Austria during the same time HOO persons were like wise killed. In Prussia it is reported that seventy persons are annually killed. Ten thousand persons are report ed as having been struck during Q period of nine-and-twenty years, with 2,252 deaths in France, while in the United States during 1870 alone 2O2 deaths from lightning were recorded. Tho effects of lightning stroke are most interesting, curious and appalling. The general symptoms arc usually of shock. There is often unconsciousness, sometimes coma, lasting from a few hours to even days; partial or complete | loss of sight or hearing, associated with | impairment of the other senses. The | tissues may be burned superfcially or i deeply, the bones fractured and portions of the limbs torn off entirely. The | tracks of lightning on the surface of l the body may have a fancied resem- | blance to tho branches of tree, the | main stems from which the branches lead off arising at any portion of the body. The skin in these tracks may be simply scarlet in color, slightly swelled | l;cto ha rc6a ofT until no larger than the scratch of Q pin. They may pass in all directions from the place first struck or skip about from one part to another. This is duo to the conduction of the current by the clothing, which if wet acts as an excel lent conductor.
 For the purpose of Illustrating these effects the following report of a case is taken from tho Philadelphia Medical News, reported by physician who was on the spot at the time the accident oc- cured, Dr. J. F. Paige:
 1 ''The current struck the chimney of tho house and passed down the studding near tho window to an iron hook on which was suspended a chain and bird cage, passed from this to the head of the lady, sitting just inside tho window, and beneath tho cage, above the left eye, midway between the eyebrow and hair. which was apparently the part nearest the corner of the bird cage; passed along in front of the ear. then to tho central lino of the chest. descend
 ing by the stocking supporter, which was attached to the corsctS: thence to the top of the stockings, leaving marks upon both limbs, bat more especially upon the left, on tho back of whicit, just above the kneo joint, was a burn about the size of ones hand. It mad tho appearance of an ordinary burn, and vas only superficial. No trace of the current could be detected again until tho foot was reached, from which it passed off by the joint of the great toe. tearing 8 placc about two inches in diameter in tho stocking and slipper, bat not leaving the slightest mark upon e the skin. With the exception of the burned spot on the posterior part of tho left leg. and ono or two small burns on the body and the right leg, congested lines alone marked tho course of the electricity in it's passage over the body.
 "lIer cOnuitio2 as found to be as follows: Completely unconscious; mo- tionless; muscles relaxed: left eye closed. right eye open; face purple; pulse at wrist imperceptible; neither heart sounds nor respiratory sounds to be heard. At once artificial breathing was rosorted to, and in from two to three min utes the first sign of life appeared in a movement of the left leg. The blue color faded from the face and the pulse was felt at the wrist. Soon a new train of Symp toms set in. There was difficult respir- ation. The mucous and saliva, which were very abundant, had gravitated back and could not be swallowed because of com plete paralysis of tho pharynx, etc. There was, in fact, paralysis of almost all the muscles of the uppermost parts of the body, including tho arms. The DO symptoms were those exhibited by an n, 1% animal when being asphxiated; violent 5s muscular contraction; difficult and 1e forced respiration, etc, Under con- tinued efforts consciousness returned ill lloo three-quarters of an hour. A period of IS four weeks elapsed before all the DO senses and her general health were re- '' stored and all paralysis had disappeared.
 In this, according to the St. Louis Glohe-Democrat do we see the effect of lightning in pronounced degree, and there can be no doubt but that this per- son would have died from the effects if the physician had not been present to at once resort to artificial or forced respir- la ation and wrap the body to maintain the heat necessary for life.
 Why We Sink i'm 0uicksand.
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