Analyfls of the Air* 161 
infedious Miafma is lodged in the lungs. 
When I refled on the great quantities 
of elaftick air, which are deftroyed by ful- 
phureous fumes 5 itfeems to me not impro- 
bable, that when an animal is killed by light- 
ning without any vifible wound, or imme- 
diate ftroke, that it may be done by the 
air’s elafticity, being inftantly deftroyed by 
the fulphureous lightning near the animal, 
whereby the lungs will fall flat, and caufe 
fudden death $ which is further confirmed 
by the flatnefs of the lungs of animals thus 
killed by lightning, their veficles being found 
upondifledion to be fallen flat, and to have 
no air in them : The burfting alfo of glafs 
windows outwards, feems to be from the 
fame effed of lightning on the air's elaf- 
ticity. 
It is likewife by deftrpying the air's elaf- 
ticity in fermented liquors, that lightning 
renders them flat and vapid : For fince ful- 
phureous fteams held near or under vefiels 
will check redundant fermentation, as well 
as the putting of fulphureous mixtures into 
the liquor, kis plain, thofe fteams can eaftly 
penetrate the wood of the containing vef- 
fels. No wonder then, that the more fub- 
tile lightning fhould have the like effeds. I 
S 3 know 
