FAEMEKS' INSTITUTES. 243 



Dr. Keclzie. — Ye?, sir. I have never kllo^yn a bar of iron one half inch in 

 diameter to be melted, or even heated red-hot by lightning. As this rod is 

 three-qnarters of an inch in diameter, I believe it will answer every pnrpose. 



Gen. B. D. Pritchard. — Do I nnderstand you to recommend to these farmers 

 that they put lightning-rods upon their buildings? 



Dr. Kedzie. — I don't discuss that question. 



H. E. Blackmore, Trowbridge. — Doesn't the rod against the side of the house 

 augment the heat ? 



Dr. Kedzie. — AVhen a cloud conies over, all bodies, whether conductors or 

 non-conductors, are heavily charged Avith electricity. In the eastern portion of 

 the State the steeple of a church was struck by lightning and destroyed. In all 

 of the churches in the place were large congregations, nearly all of whom Avere 

 thrown to the ground ; and the people within half a mile of the steeple received 

 a severe shock. Of course they were not struck, but the inductive charge of 

 the cloud had produced an electrical disturbance in every person and thing 

 under it. When the tension suddenly relieved itself this induced electricity was 

 discharged into the ground. In Italy lightning struck a mountain near a road 

 along which some miners were passing with their horses and carts. One driver 

 noticed the man in advance of him, together with the horse, drop down dead. 

 They were not struck by lightning, but the induced electricity had power 

 enough to kill them both ; and under each cart wheel was found a hole in the 

 ground which had been formed by this induced electricity. Fulgurites were 

 formed, which consist of grains of sand melted together by electricity. 



Henry Shultes, Martin. — My barn is 68 feet in length. On it I have two 

 lightning rods whose points are ten feet above the building, nicely insulated, 

 and the bottoms of the rods connect with moist earth, for they are fully nine 

 feet below the surface of the earth. Three years ago, during a heavy thunder- 

 storm, a discharge of electricity struck one corner of the barn within 13 feet of 

 one of these rods, passed through the shingles, out through the siding, and 

 through a red elm post standing near. 



Dr. Kedzie. — In that case, either the rule the Frenchmen gave was wrong, or 

 ■else that lightning did not know its business. 



DISCUSSION AT DECATCE. 



Mr. Hendryx. — How do you fasten the rod to the building? 



Dr. Kedzie. — By staples. 



Mr. Hayne. — Is there anything like a rod carrying electricity off silently? 



Dr. Kedzie. — Yes, sir. It is no proof that you have a good rod because it is 

 struck. 



Mr. Hayne. — AVhat number of rods would you jmt on a building? 



Dr. Kedzie. — On a common-sized building I would put one rod ; if the build- 

 ing is large I woidd put up the second rod. 



Emmons Buell, Kalamazoo. — AYould you put a rod on a building? 



Dr. Kedzie. — I said I did not propose to say anything about that when I 

 commenced. 



Mr. Buell. — I want to know if you advise putting up lightning-rods? 



Dr. Kedzie. — That question I shall not answer. 



Mr. Buell. — Have you got lightning-rods on the college buildings at Lansing? 



Dr. Kedzie. — No, sir. 



Mr. Buell. — That is all I want to know. 



D. Woodman, Paw Paw. — AVhat effect will rust have upon the rod? 



