The bee., 1901-08-29

t'r.ted States were killed or fatally
iujurel by lightning, and 500 We're in
jured more or less severely. The
Chronicle Fire Tables record 2,760 fires
caused by lightning in the United
States in the same year, the property
loss occasioned thereby being $685..
525. The weather fureau is also col.
lecting statistics of loss to farm prop
erty, including live stock in the fields,
by lightning, so as to determine the
frequency of lightning stroke and the
amount of property destroyed annually
by that agency" Interesting figures
will no doubt result from the investi-
CATION.
Statistics for 1890 show that in that
year the largest number of casualties
took place during June, July and Au-
gust, although in Pennsylvania and
Illinois, where the lightning did the
greatest damage, May was the fatal
time to more victims. December was
the only month not marked by IA
tality in any part of the country, al
though only one person was killed in
February, two in October, three in
January and four in November. In
one case Of that year five persons were
killed by a single stroke of electricity,
In one case a discharge slew four, in
another three, in two others three
deaths resulted, and there were sew
eral instances of double fatalities.
The greatest number of fatalities, 45
per cent, according to the most recent
statistics, occurred in the open; the
next greatest number, "a per cent, oc-
Cured in houses, while IL per cent Of
those struck were under trees at the
time. The smallest percentage of col
lected cases, about one-eleventh of the
total number, were in barns. Although
these figures are not by any means to
be taken as final, for lightning investi-
CATION is still inexact. they tend to
prove that the common idea of the safe
ty of open places is erroneous.
Some precautions, based on observa-
tion, are recommended by meteorolo-
gists, always, however, with the reser-
walton that the ways of lightning in
reaching its victim are past all finding
out. Timid persons indoors should
avoid chimneys and open windows.
The safest place is probably the mid
die of the room, and, according to some
weather wise advisers, the basement or
cellar is the safest of all places. They
do not, however, consider the danger
should the house be set on fire by the
stroke, as frequently happens. Per-
sons caught out in a thunderstorm, IL
unable to reach shelter, should never
take refuge under trees. This precau-
tion is one that has been insisted upon
for many ages and is amply justified
to the ordinary mind by one look at
the blasted, blackened trunk Of light
ming struck tree. Wire fences and live
stock are also good objects to avoid,
and if one is on horseback it is wise to
dismount and wait for the storm to
pass.
Stories Of the freaks or pranks OF
the mysterious lightning abound and
have been current for centuries. With
absolutely no apparent reason one per-
son or object is struck, while another
a few feet away is spared. Lightning
strokes are not always fatal. In fact.
about two out of every three persons
struck recover, to some degree at least.
The most common form of injury from
the electrical discharge is paralysis of
the arms or legs. Painful burns and
shock ere also results Of the stroke.