78 



THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING. 



stances. The following fact, as stated in the Bibliotheque Britannique of Gene- 

 va, for the year 1796, supplies an example of this : — 



A wood of oak situated on an eminence two leagues from Geneva, was 

 barked in May, 1795. This operation can only be effected in the season of the 

 year when the sap, moving between the wood and the bark, diminishes suffi- 

 ciently the adherence of the latter to enable it to be separated with facility from 

 the tree. The workmen remark, also, that the state of the atmosphere produces 

 an evident influence on the process. 



One day the wind was blowing from the north and the sky Avas unclouded — 

 the bark was removed with more than usual difficulty. In the afternoon clouds 

 rose in the west, thunder rolled, and at the same instant the bark, to the great 

 astonishment of the workmen, fell spontaneously from the trees. They soon 

 had reason to ascribe this to the state of the atmosphere, since the effects ceased 

 when the storm passed away. 



There are a multitude of popular impressions respecting the effects of thun- 

 der, which have been generally regarded as destitute of foundation, and not 

 even worthy of serious attention. Such are the received opinions that thunder 

 curdles milk, renders wine, beer, and other fermented liquors, sour, and taints 

 fresh meat. After the facts, however, which have been stated above, it would 

 be rash to pronounce assertions so unanimous of cooks, brewers, winemakers, 

 butchers, &c, to be false. Instead of being regarded as subjects of ridicule 

 and contempt, such questions should be submitted to serious experimental in- 

 quiry. 



Among the numerous manifestations of the discharge of electric matter from 

 the surface of the earth produced by the influence of the electricity of the air, 

 one of the most circumstantial and authentic is due to Brydone, who, being on 

 the spot where the occurrences took place, was in part witness to them, and 

 collected the particulars from other eye-witnesses with scrupulous care. 



On the 10th July, 1785, a storm broke out between noon and one o'clock, in 

 the neighborhood of Co/d-stream. During its continuance, there occurred in 

 the surrounding country several remarkable accidents. 



A woman who was cutting grass on the banks of the Tweed, was suddenly 

 thrown down without any apparent cause. She called her companions imme- 

 diately to her aid, and told them that she received a sudden and violent blow 

 on the soles of her feet, but whence it proceeded she could not tell. At the 

 moment this happened there was neither thunder nor lightning. 



A shepherd attached to a farm called Lennel Hill, saw a sheep suddenly fall 

 which the moment before appeared in perfect health. He ran to raise it from 

 the ground and found it stiff dead. The storm was then approaching, but dis- 

 tant. 



Two coal-wagons, driven by two boys, seated on the benches in front of them, 

 had just crossed the Tweed, and were in the act of ascending a hill on the banks 

 of the river, when a loud explosion was heard like the report of several guns 

 fired nearly together, and unattended by any rolling or continued sound like 

 that which usually accompanies thunder. At the moment of this explosion, 

 the boy who drove the second wagon saw the foremost wagon with the two 

 horses and driver suddenly fall to the ground, the coal being scattered about in 

 all directions. On examination, the driver and horses were found to be stiff 

 dead. The coal which was dispersed had the appearance of having been for 

 some time in the fire. At the points where the tires of the wheels rested at 

 the time of the explosion, the ground was found to be pierced by two circular 

 holes, which being examined by Brydone, half an hour after the occurrence, 

 emitted a strong odor resembling that of ether. The tires of the wheels 

 showed evident marks of fusion at the points which were in contact with the 



