Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.
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but these are the indirect effects of lightning. Its direct action on the human body is a shock, more or less great, and this by exhausting the human nerve-batteries more or less; when complete, it leaves the body a mass of disorganized matter, and instantaneous death is the consequence. When wounds are produced they are usually in some internal vascular portion, and from which there is an instantaneous and frightful effusion of blood, <fec, and hence death in these cases is also necessarily immediate. In these cases there is an utter disorganization that admits of the immediate and most revolting putrefaction. But lightning now and then causes death by a simple shock, that appears to have been only just sufficient to exhaust the nerve- batteries, or modify them sufficiently to destroy life ; and here, it is said, the bodies do not readily decay. Indeed, some per- sons may die from lightning only striking near them. From the remotest ages, we learn that the various tribes and nations of men have devised ways and means as widely different as curious, to protect themselves from thunder and lightning. Among the more civilized nations, there was for centuries a re- sort to the ringing of large bells, because it was believed' that this was capable of paralyzing the effects. This, indeed, was one of the greatest uses bells were first put to ; hence are found on old bells in Europe the following inscription: Vivos voco, mortuos plango, fulgwra frango. Another freak of lightning is mentioned by M. Arago as a cu- rious fact — that lightning has been known to strike, penetrate, and demolish powder magazines, and there upsetting and scat- tering the powder in all directions, and yet not set it on fire! This fact, though rare, — for the setting it on fire and producing an explosion is by far the more usual result, — illustrates the law of damage to man; for electricity by friction, as in that case of lightning, never burns, nor even explodes gunpowder, if it meets no hinderance ; but rather follows an ample conductor. In this case it is too quick to fire, burn, or disorganize. It can be demonstrated that electricity or lightning explodes the powder; burns, tears, or disorganizes to destruction, only when it encoun- ters in its route a given degree of resistance that actually de- lays its velocity.