The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-12
TO DODGE
LIGHTNING.
Important Advice Given by the
Chief Of the Weather Bureau.
ABOUT 800 KILLED ANNUALLY
Many v,cilms Could B, Sald BY
Prompt and intelligent
Treatment.
ABOUT 800 KILLED ANNUALLY

Washington. d c.. May 12-In a special
report OF the United States weather bu-
reau. soon to be issued. Willis L. Moore
will set forth extremely interesting sta
tistic5 concerning mortality due to light
ming.
The statistics Of 1900 sn)N that during
that year 7lS persons were killed or IA
tally injured by lightning. OF these POI
were Killed IN the open. 2li in buildings
ant ), brder ,rees, No inf rma'ipl was
obtained as 20 the circumstances OF the
q saths Of the remaining iI
Most OF those who perished while un-
der trees would have been alive today had
they Lol g, Ight such shelter. Not oh!y
are trees dangerous refugees. but 1t is said
to be almost equally dangerous to hudd.e
under machinery or grand stands, espe-
ciany in the vicinity OF a flagpole
NEARLY 500 KILLED YEARLY.
The average number OF lives lost by
lightning I'm this country so far as re-
corded is nearly 500 a year.
The most remarkable fatality recorded
was that OF the death OF eleven persons
from one discharge while sheltering I'm
a zinc lined shanty beneath a river pier
I'm Chicago.
According to the statistics the greatest
mortality by lightning occurs In the Ohio
valley and the Middle Atlantic states.
Particular attention Is called 10 the neces-
sty OF precautions against lightning
stroke in the mountainous states Of Col
orado. Montana and Wyoming
IL is the opinion of Mr. Moore that
more complete system of experiments
should be made by the government. so
that additional security may be extended
TO life and property.
Some advance has been made in this d.
rection by the study OF the modern alter
mating machine and the transformer de-
vice. which afford better opportunity
FOR comparative study of the. lightning
flash than the ordinary frictional ma
chine. The difference between the po-
tential of lightning discharge Of a mile
In length and any phenomenon that could
however. that IL is almost impossible TO
furnish any figure OF comparison.
DANGER MAY BE AVOIDED.
The most interesting part of the report
treats OF the relative danger OF certain
situations during thunderstorm. BY
studying these one may learn TO avoid the
more dangerous exposures.
Oft repeated warnings as TO the dan
ger of standing beneath trees receive
added significance from the report which
comments on the danger. Other places
especially dangerous are the doorways OF
barns I'm proximity To cattle. the vicinity
OF chlmneys and hrepaces or the terminal
Of n wire clothesl!ne.
one important declaration made by the
report is that the majority OF supposedly
fatal eases Of shock are not I'm reality so.
The appearance OF death is due 10 tenn
porary paralysis OF the respiratory sys-
tenn and the action Of the heart. Prompt
and intelligent treatment by a physician
Will generally result In recovery.
The treatment should extend over at
least an hour, the important point being
borne In mind to preserve the warmth OF
the body by all methods such as by APP
plications of the hot water bottle or
cloths. hot hannels or warm salt bags.