Meinoranda respecting Lightning 207 



It may sometimes be the case that the extreme heat may 

 kill an animal without any traces of scorching. 



Four men taking shelter together were all killed. One of 

 them still held between finger and thumb a pinch of snuff; 

 a second had one hand on the head of a dog which was dead 

 on his knees, and held in his other hand a piece of bread; 

 whilst a third sat with his eyes open gazing in the direction 

 from which the storm came. 



A young man who was killed by lightning had the nails 

 torn out of his boots and the links of his silver watch-chain 

 fused together. M. Flammarion, who narrates these cases, 

 adds that to melt silver in this way a heat of 987 0 is needed. 



Lightning has a remarkable aptitude for stripping off the 

 clothes of those whom it strikes. It will tear off the heaviest 

 boots, and may leave its victim unhurt but quite naked. 

 This is probably by the sudden conversion into steam of 

 moisture on the surface of the body. 



A similar explanation applies to the stripping of the bark 

 off trees. 



We have to consider (1) the lightning flash, (2) diffused or 

 sheet lightning, and (3) the fire-ball or meteor. 



It is recorded that an ox, red with white spots, was struck 

 by lightning, and that the effect was to singe off the white 

 hair, whilst the red was left. 



Animals are more easily killed by lightning than human 

 beings. It may be that the points of their hair serve to 

 attract the electricity. 



It is asserted that the flesh of animals killed by electricity, 

 if cooked immediately, is good and tender, but it rapidly 

 decomposes and becomes uneatable. Franklin tried that of 

 chickens. 



Under the head of fire-balls or meteors we have to deal 

 first with those originating at great elevation and known as 

 shooting-stars, concerning the nature of which much is now 

 known, and those which are part of the phenomena of a 

 terrestrial electric storm. Concerning the latter there is much 



