The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-06-16
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
The facts collected by the Weather Blu
reau show that the loss of life by lightning
in this country last year was greater than
in any year since statistics began to be col
lected. Five hundred and sixtytwo per
sons were killed instantly, or suffered IN
iuries FROM which death soon resulted, and
$40 persons were injured. many OF them
suffering from physical shock, others from
painful burns and others from temporary
paralysis of some part of the body. The
most common form of injury resulting from
lightning seems to be the paralysis OF the
arms or legs.
In Professor Henry report on the cas-
ualres Of the year he says there were some
remarkable escapes from death. In some
cases the clothing Of the person struck was
set on fire. and the body was scared or
burned. However, complete recovery fol
lowed. 1t is not easy to explain how these
persons escaped death, and there Is still
much uncertainty As to the maximum volt
age that can be applied to the human
body without fatal result.
In some cases of death the body Of the
person struck showed no external marks Of
the discharge. and death seems to have
resulted from complete collapse of the eel
luIar tissues Ia many cases, however,
the cause Of death was made apparent by
thc di,coloratiou and burning of various
parts Of the body. One singular case, that
of two brothers. who were killed while
driving together IN a dog cart They were
found lying side by side ON the road just
as they had fallen out Of the back Of the
vehicle. The elder brother had no eNier-
nal sign Of injury The skin of the young
or brother was burned in number OF
small. circular holes over the chest aud ali
lamen. and the back was burned from the
neck to the hips The metallic collar stud
wa. fused and the skin beneath il was
deeply burned The wai>feaat aud SHIRT
were charred but the oyat Was uninjuu-i
Ne signs 1T disturbance ol 'he -raund r'nl'i
be- seen
Il !, usually supposed that the dau,as"
Is done by single bait but IL J. often
difficult To explain the casualties q" this
theory Thus. in one case last year span
81 horse, attached to 2 wagon aud man
10 III, rear of the wagon were killed while
the driver. who was sitting between the
horse and ID, map. Vas bot seriously bur;
Thi- css, aui other II a similar nature
seem TO c4uGrm ,hc belief that not one but
a number 81 discharges maY mach the eaTih
within a comparative small radius inside
whirh there may be- small areas ut safety
Photographs cf the called nhh"u flashes
-hoa that a. times the discharge j. from
thirty &C. forty feet side - lhe surface of
the earth There app,aT &" he narrow
lanes within thee broad paths thst an
ire, from yialsui disturbance 4 Tsr-uu
standing 10 u,, 81 lL,-, lans> might t-aaVc
serious iniur, while uth,r- near hs uigh;
be killed
The greatest uulul-.r pi fatalities ur a.
Ter cent ssaenrrsl IN ,hr oEsu tbs u,Ni
greatest nuuIbsr. 50 p.E esut. ,sgur,-i
iu bous,-s q Is'r ccnt "ecurrei under lI,e'.
and the least It ~ . Ter cent In baru-
4 duzcn Tsr~ouS, mostly women. yer,
killed e5thsr shiie taking CLOTHES ir.al viz,
Hu,ss or while near thv hue- during a thnD
icrsturu Il Is vcli knova that Ia abe
citi,s m1nv virc oi4hos hut. an. cxteaIea
between the dwelling and lFeeS ~ the back
fence Professor Henry says that thus g
Soaroe af danger. and 5hat wires shoals
never CONNECT q hoa>s with a uciSktorlul
tree II vine IS used at all u should nv'
b. stretched within hity lc.t q = dvellin-
hua>e llerr are eatne precautions thai
are recommended duru. thunderstorm
Person, 20 4 house should ayuii chimney
aud open window The safest place b
probably the middle 81 the roam. IN the
open. persons should never -eek the shelter
Of tree. Wirc fences and hye stock should
bc syoidei II on horseback. 1t Is Wa,
to disn,ouut and Walt until she storm passes
away
IL one el~. last year Eve persons yer,
killed by a single strok" q lightning
There was also one casa at four dvaIht
I from a single stroke. tao cases e thrc'
tttAt#A~ Atl4 So EAAA tt~tH- RA taH AAf'A- 81
The greatest number 81 iatalltic, eocur
red IN Penn,ylyauia where therc wsn
I Gity six deaths. and there were forty -uu'
I la Illinois
In bath these S.a,,- thsre vas sn *
ceptionaiiy large number Of tatslilies ia ,h,
month II May In the whole country
however, the largest number Of casualuc
occurred IN June. July and August De
oemhcr Wa the only month wilhou,
casualty though Gully two persons weT'
| killed IN October. tour in November thn.,
/ ia January and enc a. February TIL,
| statistics # SOS and 500 show tina, tbs
number Of fatalities by lightning ia an,
region l. hy no means IN proportion q th'
I number uf thunderstorm DAYS