The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-12
GET UNDER COVER DURING STORM, |S EXPERTS ADVICE
Observatory Director Tells How To Act During Light
 hing Flashes


 MILTON, Mass, August 11.-(As- sociated Press .)-Gct under cover if possible when q thunder storm threatens. If this is not practicable, lie down. That is the advice which Alexander G. McAdie, director or the Blue Hill observatory in this town and professor of meteorology at liar ward university, gives in an eNpla- nation of the action of lightning pre- pared for The Associated Press. He gives what he describes as ten good rules to help people take care of themselves"
 Tn a battle" says Professor Me Adie, "a hundred bullets are fired for each soldier killed. It is something like this with lightning flashes. There are q hundred discharges for every bolt of lightning that hits person. Fortunately, too, of every hundred streaks of lightning about 90 are from cloud to cloud or spill over discharges of moderate electri- cal energy and are mostly horizontal, doing no damage whatever.
 Ne zlg-zng rfasSHes. H H Q
 About 10 flashes in a hundred come vertically, that is, down to earth in q straight line. Some flash es come sideways and seem to be crooked, although there are really no flashes tagging like the teeth of saw as artists generally de- pict lightning.
 The intense straight flashes are thc ones to be feared, and it is silly person who stands out in the open when such flashes are seen. He invites trouble, but the invitation is not always accepted.
 At this time of the year thunder storms are frequent and there are d comparatively large number of fa- tal accidents. One reads in the press dispatches that four men are walk ing along a New Jersey beach dur ing thunderstorm. There is flash of lightning, one man is killed outright, one severely burned, and the others stunned.
 O o o
 Get Under Cover.
 Now there is no protection for case like this unless one could carry around with him metallic cover well grounded The first rule is then: Do not stay out on beach or in d field when dark, heavy clouds are overhead or coming slow cover if possible. If this is not practicable, lie down. Don't remain standing.
 'Second: Do not stand under a tree with thick foliage. ! You are forming part of the line of dis  tcularly the skin if moist, is bet ter conductor than the trunk of the tree. More people are killed by lightning in this way than probably any other.
 Third: Don't stand in the door, way of a barn or at window in proximity to q chimney. There are currents of air or winds, and the lightning follows to some extent any draft or column of rising air, es- pecialiy warm air.
 Don't Laugh pt p0t 2 SeT,ou.ness. Q
 Fourth: Don't laugh at any ones nervousness during a severe thunder storm. There is a good reason to be nervous. Even II one is in a building that is struck the damage is, in yS cases out of 100, knocking off slats and tearing off any projecting timbers. But there are times when the storm clouds descend to earth and amid darkness the flashes are heavy and numerous. At such times there is danger. IL is dangerous to be near d chimney or tree or a flagpole or metal clothcs-iine.
 Fifth: Stock should not be tied. near wire fence.
 sixth: There is no particular sense in going to bed. Standing on
  lator, a woolen blanket, for example, will give one q little more security and d great deal more confidence. The probability of a person in an o1 dinary residence building being struck is very slight.
 O O O
 Rarely Kills Outright.
 seventh: If you are near per son who has been struck make every effort to resuscitate him. Only rare ly does lightning kill outright. Mostly people are stunned, and all that is needed is a little artificial respiration to restore them to con sciousness. Of course, get doctor quickly.
 "Eighth: If you are in trolley car and flash comes in and burns the fuses with a roar ana bind ing flash, sit still. The danger IS over, and while you may be fright ened you are not likely to be hurt.
 Ninth: If you have radio, bet ter cut it out during thunder storm. The antennae should De grounded direct and all wires, as far as possible, kept outside.
 Tenth: If your house is proVid- ed with good lightning rods you need not have much fear. Moreover, dwelling houses in city blocks are practically safe"