1 24 PVet or damp clothes^ good conductors ofligntning. 



REMARK. 



The Editor entirely coincides with the Rev. Mr. Hitch- 

 cock, in opinion as to the cause of the preservation of Mr. 

 W lliams' life. It occurs to him however that as Mr. Wil- 

 liaims' clothes were but slightly wet, his skin was probably 

 dry. Although therefore the animal fluids may be better con- 

 ductors than water, yet the dry cuticle or skin, is not a good 

 conductor, and therefore the electrical current preferred to 

 take its course through the moisture in the clothes rather 

 than to force its way through the skin to the animal fluids. 



We subjoin Mr. Williams' own minute of the facts, for al- 

 though substantially embraced in Mr. Hitchcock's account — 

 the relation of the sufferer himself has in it interesting traits 

 of verisimilitude. 



Desrription of the Plate annexed. 

 No. 1. Mr. VV.'s Pantaloons as torn by the lightning. 



— 2. Stocking. 



— 3. Shoe exhibiting the perforation in the sole. 



— 4. Quarter of the shoe torn off. 



— 5. Coat sleeve. 



— 6. Shirt sleeve; 



IX ^ weeping willow. 



yC Tall Lombardy poplars. 



^ » Doors that were so far open. 



^/' 



B. 3. 3. Furrows ploughed in the ground by the lightning. 



2. The position of J. W. when struck down — he was looking to the south 

 ^ast — the first of the fluid on the house was at the bottom course of shin- 

 gle splitting four inches — then started off the eave trough 20 feet in length — 

 then stripping off the post and door casings and some of the outside cover- 

 ing — took my right shoulder below the joint, burning and scorching to the 

 end of the sleeve, then the right hip burning seven inches square, then 

 down the inside of the lower limbs with a streak of the burning to the knees, 

 burning, on the inside of the right leg, the bigness of a hand, and left the leg, 

 leaving two holes through the stocking — from the left knee to three inches 

 below, no burn — then burning down to the heel and under it, and blistering 

 the lap of the left foot half the surface of it and stripping the clothes in a 

 manner not easily described — I was thrown prostrate, my head to the east, 

 my face to the north, senseless — the length of time, I am not able to ascer- 

 tain, nor to describe the sensation on coming to, my legs were so benumbed 

 as to be useless, and so remained till the lancet was used, which gave some 

 relief. The physician wet cloths in the oil of terabinth through the night 

 and kept them on for four days, when the fire was principally extracted — I 

 was compelled to lie nine days on the left side — the 12th sat up half a day at 

 times, and the 14th began to walk. 



I \ Table on which a large candle was burning, which was put out by 

 the fluid, and which afterwards it was difficult to light. Mrs. Wil- 

 liams standing at the east end of the table at the time of the shock. It was 



