Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-26
THUNDERSTORM AND MILK.
influence of Electricity on Lacteal
Fluid.
From the London Lancet.

FROM the London Lancet.
During serious electrical disturbances in
the atmosphere 1t is well known that b..r
may become hard" milk may o-sour. and
meat may frequently turn" Considerable
speculation has arisen as to the cause Of
this change. 1t has been suggested that
an oXonized state of the air due TO electric
discharge has something to do with it, or
that the formation of nitrous acid In the
air is responsible for the change II is.
however, not probable that the atmosphere
undergoes any chemical change sufficient
to account for the extent to which certain
foods turn" Moreover. any important
quantity Of ozone or nitrous acid would be
calculated to exert preservative effect. as
both are powerful antiseptics
1t may be urged, again. that the phe-
nomenon is due to oxidation by means Of
ozone, but this can hardly be the case in
view OF the large quantities Of beer and
milk that are soured in relation TO the very
small quantity Of ozone which a thunder
storm produces. In the case OF meat at
any rate, the turning can scarcely be at
trlbuted to the action of ozone or Of oxygen
The change is probably due. not directly to
chemical agencies. but purely to a disturb
ance of the electric equilibrium
1t is well known that an opposite cleo
trlcat state is set up by induction, SO that
an electrical condition of the atmosnhere
induces a similar condition. though opposite
IN character, in the objects on the EARN.
Persons near whom flash of Bphfrtn.r
passes frequently experience a severe shock
bS induction. though NJ lightning touches
them; and in the celebrated exp, riment of
GalNdm he showed that "A skinned frop In
the neighborhood If an electrical machine
although dead. exhibited coqvulsiye move
menus every tine that spark WAS drawn
from ii the conductor In the case of milk
turning or of beer hard, ring or 81
mea, becoming tainted. Il is Ur 1bablv there
lore, an instance Of hgmicaI canVulsIon
or. II may be. of a stimulus given to hac-
PATHOLOGICAL agencies set up by an opposite
electric condition induced By thu dist tIrb.d
electrical state of the atmnsphere Al
though these changes are most marked DUR
ing a thunderstorm, Yet undoubtedly they
occur at other times, though not to the
same degree, when there is no apparr,It
electric disturbance.
But even when the sky is clear the at
moSphere may exhibit considerabl ,te.tri
ca tension. The eiectrOscope constantly
SHOWS that a conducting point elevated in
the air is taking up a positive charT, Cae a
rule) OF electricity, the tension rising with
the height of the point. This effect in
ciedses toward daybreak until il reaches
d maximum, some hours after sunrise I.
then diminishes until il is weakest a fey
hcurs before sunset, when again il rises ard
attaihs second m lNimum value some hons
after sunset; the second minimum occur
ring before daybreak. There are. according
~, constant changes of electrical tension
going on. changes, however which are more
rapid and much more marked during a
thunderstorm and which are quite powerful
enough 10 exert an evil influence on GER
tain articles of food or drink s,Iscer-ihIe IN
cnange, notably meat, milk and beer or
cider.
There is no doubt that the unfayoratle
effects on the feeling of weIl-beine ex-
perlenced by many individuals such az
headache and oppression and nervous dis
tress, on the advent of a thunderstorm.
nave similar foundation and are due 10
.ne same electrical differences Of potential,
the effects passing away as the djst.Irh.3
condition of the atmosphere, or the storm.
subsidies '