On Diseases and Accidents of Farmers. 247 



part, to cause an adhesion of the sides of the cavity. It 

 is essential, that the foot be kept at rest on a chair for at 

 least one month, as exercise will infallibly cause a re- 

 newal of the disease, and an inflammation of the joint. 



Clothes Catching Fire, — Women should instantly lie 

 down, and smother the flame by rolling the carpet, or 

 some other woollen article around them. Children in like 

 manner are to be enveloped in the coat of a man, or the 

 folds of a woman's gown, if of worsted ; water, if neces- 

 sary, may then be applied. Persons using the spirit or 

 oil of turpentine, must avoid approaching within five feet 

 of a fire, or collection of live coals, or a candle, as the va- 

 pour will take fire. All children should be clothed in 

 worsted clothes. 



Lightning, — 1. If caught at a distance from home, 

 avoid taking shelter under trees ; instances every year 

 occurring of cattle, sheep, and men being killed by 

 lightning, or dashed to pieces by splinters of wood, when 

 flying under trees, to avoid being drenched with rain. If 

 a person has a gun or iron tool with him during a thun- 

 der storm, he should leave them on the road, or in the 

 field, as the iron will attract the lightning, and he will be 

 inevitably killed. A late English paper, (June 1824) 

 mentions that a shepherd in England, who was returning 

 from his daily labour in a thunder storm, carrying a fork 

 across his shoulders, was instantaneously killed by light- 

 ning, which doubtless was attracted by the prongs of 

 the fork. 



2. During a thunder storm, while at home, collect 

 the family in a close room having no fire place : no 

 instance having fallen within the knowledge of an in- 

 quirer on the subject, of a person being killed in a close 

 room.* 



* This fact was first stated to the Boston Academy of Sci- 

 ences, by the ingenious Benjamin Dearborn of Boston, in the 

 year 1807. 



