Thunder and Lightning

s a certain regard for human beings, which it seems to lose entirely when

ugh it may often strike innocent victims blindly and ferociously; yet it seems at times to show a certain amount of intelli

to be hanged for the murder of a mulatto companion, and who, just as he was putting his foot on the fata

r was full of justice, and w

ne to which he was attached acting as a tribune for him-when he was suddenly struck by lightning while haranguing his disciples. He fell dead. The iron manacles had brought on the disast

another

give trouble to the State after the death of her benefactor. She enclosed it carefully in a chest, and we

e was struck, and the open chest was thrown o

attribute it to physical predisposition? But this has not yet been proved. Experience shows that sparks directed on the vertebra

less in the situation of a man who, to protect himself from inclemency, should envelop hi

not die on the spot, they succumb soon after to

t. It is a prerogative granted to him by Nature, though so many animals surpass him in strength." And, fu

n quote a certain number of examples of animals which ha

and appeared as though it were cauterized. These two lines joined together at the fold of the ham, and then formed a single furrow, all sign of which was lost in the abdominal region

sons and nine horses were struck by

rl, who was in charge of them, were knocked over by a violent shock. The chil

omenon has also been observed in other animals. For instance, five or six pigs which were in a cage in the prow of a

always perish. At present we will only discuss animals as a body, equal, or super

s appear to be peculiarly sensitive to lightning-the gentle sheep, for example, which hud

ch have been struck. There are some of

red rams, sh

, mares,

cows, o

do

as

go

ca

mu

pi

ha

qui

of geese, chickens, pi

e a respectable con

when there is thunder, as they seem to exercise a

yed by lightning. Dr. Boudin

clap of thunder was heard. Lightning struck him and his flock. The unfortunate man was struck on the top of his head. All his hair had been taken from the nape of his neck, and the electric fluid had traced a ridge on his forehead, his face, and breast. His body was quite naked; all his clothes

were as varied as they were peculiar. Some had their heads chopped, others had them pierced

Prussian States), one clap of thun

illed 64 hairy beasts in a

, 1890, 340 sheep wer

r Montmaur in the Isère, lightning str

thunder burst over a sheepfol

ered with sores, on the head, in the eyes, and on the back, and half asph

sheep were carbonized, and ca

oxen were struck by the spark. They we

emberg), a shepherd and 216 sheep out

list. But it would be superfluous to expatiate further on the dangers incurred in a storm by large agglomerations of animals. In their terror, beasts, particularly sheep, press closely together, and are soaked by the rain. In this way they offer a large surface, which absolutely conduct

e. Would it act the same with atmospheric electricity as with that in our laboratories? Would

, if the first touches the body of a Leyden electrical jar and the last touches the top, the whole circle will instantaneously receive a shock. Only thos

this by the f

n the lightning penetrated. The two first and the two las

n five horses in a line and killed the fi

larger number of proofs bef

make a fastidious choice of its victims. It kills one, spares another, s

lska, of the Duchy of Po

with that which was nearest the door, the second was spared, the third killed, the fourth was uninjured, and so on. All the uneven numbers were killed, the others were n

eval (Seine-Inférieure), relates a very remarkable case. On June 20, 1892, lightning fell on the telegraph pole

o longer be surprised at this. Here we have a case where the fluid declares itself distinctly in favour of black. It was at Lapleau in Corrèze. One day thunder fell on

xample by wearing long white garments in a storm. Unfortunately, lightning is

full of cows without injuring one? This extraordinar

cows that were in a shed became unfas

ning only seemed to wan

saved, it is none the less true that an animal very rarely sur

without exceptions, we

to his flock to drive it to the shed. Just at the same moment, lightning burst and knocked him

illed by lightning, and the remarkable thing was that o

Only four perished. One of them was marked on the back with a cross, formed o

rely, men and animals

there without moving for three-quarters of an hour, after which

mals simultaneously. We have already given s

26, 1900. A shepherd and his flock, composed of

living at Montagnat (Ain), was struck while fastening

two first took shelter under a big chestnut, the third under an oak twenty-five yards away from them. Suddenly lightning struck the chestnut and enveloped the two little refugees. They fell dead. The third fainted, half asphyxiated by the smell of t

n and animals, proves more murderous for the latter th

n electric ball burst over the heads of the horses, and threw the whole five down, stone dead. The postil

ract our attention-the terrible meteor was not accompanied by a

animals. Some hours after, the poor farmer was picked up in a pitiable plight. His hair was burnt in parts, also hair on his chest, he was quite deaf, and in a state of absolute prostration. His

spark strikes men and animals at the same

er-la-Montagne (Haute Vienne); seventy-eight sheep and two watch-dogs were kil

o was driving near Sainte Menehould. His two horses w

the third was paralyzed on the left side. As to the

g, not even a shock, while th

re som

pout near Liége. One hundred and fifty of these animals perishe

lled twenty-two horses without doing any harm to 150 monks, whose refect

horse and a mule near Chartres, sp

thrown roughly to the edge of the road. The old drover who was with them felt nothing

ce near Mr. Cowen's and killed his dog

here twelve chickens were taking shelter. The poor things

flight. This question, so often put, would se

der. At the same time she noticed on the grass a dead gull which she had not seen before. The people who picke

kind are rare:

of the Ayr. Just then his dog dislodged a flock of ducks which had been sheltered behind an old building. One of the

d geese flying by. Suddenly there was a flash of lightning which

ground ought to protect the graceful winged tribe from lightning; but

Heaven, but they have another enemy, barbarous, unpardonable Man. Yes, the little earthly Jupiters are infinitely more terrible for the bird-world than

truck in their flight is that they foresee the storm,

re those which suffer mos

from the branches of trees. But this latter is rather rare. They generally nest

was in a cage with five others and was killed; the rest were unhurt. The spark was at

y also frequently receive visits from the lightning, and their sad fate has o

or into a well, damp earth, or even into a small pond? It

or lightning, when, after having made several victims on earth, and fe

the example of the immortal Gribouille; but enough o

posed. Not only are fishermen and sailors unanimous in attesting to the ravages wrought by lightning, but the history of electricit

s and killed all the pike and trout which were in the river. The wate

f a similar event, even more terrible, on account of the number of victims. The inhabitants of the neig

ter. They had the appearance of boiled fish, and their flesh fell to pieces on being touched, just as it would if it had been cooked. There was no injury to be seen, external or internal. The scales and

rvation, simila

-d'Or). A neighbouring pond, which measured 10 yards in length by 5 in width, was also st

e curious c

were all found lying dead on the floor. The glass which formed the bottom o

rom the point of view of the injuries which it pr

ace of the body of the animal. Thus, two horses had their hair singed nearly all over their bodies, and mo

ch was red with white spots. It burnt and rem

injured hair. It is nearly always more or less burnt. And one often notices extravasations o

fluid only attacks the colo

blation of a limb is often observe

egue, and several oxen were killed in t

could not be used as food, because all their bones had been broken as though in a mor

are struck. It is the same with animals. The electric fluid entirely absorbs the source of life

orses in their stable. They showed no exterior trace

cows and a heifer were struck in their stable; n

cription of the effects of lightning. A pig fell dead, struck by a cla

at distinction between the blows which it inflic

re completely incinerated. At the first sight, the body a

903, several animals were entir

following on the strokes of lightning which they have received. Sometimes partial or total paralysis results. Thus, a cow which had been struck by lightning

re shock which brought o

road. Suddenly lightning fell on the tree and struck the dog, which became mad, and threw itself on its master, bit him in the thigh

e barely perceptible. For instance, when it makes a transparent

exposed to the pitiless blows of the most terrible meteor, as is the baby in its mo

which results from it, causes the miscarr

ggle. All the same, we hear of the case of a horse which was struck by th

are sometimes very rigid; at others they

, wishing to get some advantage out of their remains, sent his men to skin them, but the bodies were already in such a state of decomposition,

the village of Salagnac (Creuse). Amongst other accidents it killed a

ic fluid, but by the lightning of our machine

ollowing very curious ex

gth. He put one aside without touching it, and he submitted the four others to the passage of an e

nd lasted a shorter time in proportion to the strength of the electric current. Thus, the one which received the weakest current, became rigid at the end of sev

n duration, of corpselike stiffness in subjects which ha

aboratories are sometimes transformed into small cemeteries, where lie poor guineapigs, frogs which have been quartered, and mutilated

imals which have been struck? Several pe

ese bodies are nearly always subjected, the flesh of animals kil

ies of two cows and an ox which had been struck in a stable,

ked immediately after death. The flesh of these capons was excellent and particularly tender, and the illustrious inventor of lightning-conducto

e the meat which has been struck, as it has been prove

ls, man included, as victims of

istinguish themselves from others by some sort of originality. This appears to be the cas

gift from Nature of being able to h

iving tail in motion. Fascinating it with his eye, he renders it immovable, and lets fly repeated discharges to it. Aft

h, which are divided into five species: the tetrodon, the trichiure, the silurus, the raie torpille (cramp-fish), and the gymnote (electric eel). These aquatic lightnings work terrible havoc amo

d one of them, with a piece of metallic wire, touched the back

but in its own clouds, it would seem as if it

relations, humanity has invented a m