anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第184部分

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unned；　and　she　felt　no　shock　at　the　time。　After　ordinary　treatment　for　her　burns　she　made　rapid　and　complete　recovery。

Halton　reports　the　history　of　a　case　of　a　woman　of　sixty…five　who；　about　thirty…five　minutes　before　he　saw　her；　had　been　struck　by　lightning。　While　she　was　sitting　in　an　outbuilding　a　stroke　of　lightning　struck　and　shattered　a　tree　about　a　foot　distant。　Then；　leaving　the　tree　about　seven　feet　from　the　ground；　it　penetrated　the　wall　of　the　building；　which　was　of　unplastered　frame；　and　struck　Mrs。　P。　on　the　back　of　the　head；　at　a　point　where　her　hair　was　done　up　in　a　knot　and　fastened　by　two　ordinary　hair…pins。　The　hair　was　much　scorched；　and　under　the　knot　the　skin　of　the　scalp　was　severely　burned。　The　fluid　crossed；　burning　her　right　ear；　in　which　was　a　gold　ear…ring；　and　then　passed　over　her　throat　and　down　the　left　sternum；　leaving　a　burn　three　inches　wide；　covered　by　a　blister。　There　was　another　burn；　12　inches　long　and　three　inches　wide；　passing　from　just　above　the　crest　of　the　ilium　forward　and　downward　to　the　symphysis　pubis。　The　next　burn　began　at　the　patella　of　the　right　knee；　extending　to　the　bottom　of　the　heel；　upon　reaching　which　it　wound　around　the　inner　side　of　the　leg。　About　four　inches　below　the　knee　a　sound　strip　of　cuticle；　about　1　1/2　inches；　was　left　intact。　The　lightning　passed　off　the　heel　of　the　foot；　bursting　open　the　heel　of　a　strongly　sewed　gaiter…boot。　The　woman　was　rendered　unconscious　but　subsequently　recovered。

A　remarkable　feature　of　a　lightning…stroke　is　the　fact　that　it　very　often　strips　the　affected　part　of　its　raiment；　as　in　the　previous　case　in　which　the　shoe　was　burst　open。　In　a　discussion　before　the　Clinical　Society　of　London；　October　24　1879；　there　were　several　instances　mentioned　in　which　clothes　had　been　stripped　off　by　lightning。　In　one　case　mentioned　by　Sir　James　Paget；　the　clothes　were　wet　and　the　man's　skin　was　reeking　with　perspiration。　In　its　course　the　lightning　traveled　down　the　clothes；　tearing　them　posteriorly；　and　completely　stripping　the　patient。　The　boots　were　split　up　behind　and　the　laces　torn　out。　This　patient；　however；　made　a　good　recovery。　Beatson　mentions　an　instance　in　which　an　explosion　of　a　shell　completely　tore　off　the　left　leg　of　a　sergeant　instructor；　midway　between　the　knee　and　ankle。　It　was　found　that　the　foot　and　lower　third　of　the　leg　had　been　completely　denuded　of　a　boot　and　woolen　stocking；　without　any　apparent　abrasion　or　injury　to　the　skin。　The　stocking　was　found　in　the　battery　and　the　boot　struck　a　person　some　distance　off。　The　stocking　was　much　torn；　and　the　boot　had　the　heel　missing；　and　in　one　part　the　sole　was　separated　from　the　upper。　The　laces　in　the　upper　holes　were　broken　but　were　still　present　in　the　lower　holes。　The　explanation　offered　in　this　case　is　similar　to　that　in　analogous　cases　of　lightning…stroke；　that　is；　that　the　gas　generated　by　the　explosion　found　its　way　between　the　limb　and　the　stocking　and　boot　and　stripped　them　off。

There　is　a　curious　collection　of　relics；　consisting　of　the　clothes　of　a　man　struck　by　lightning；　artistically　hung　in　a　glass　case　in　the　Museum　of　the　Royal　College　of　Surgeons；　London；　and　the　history　of　the　injury；　of　which　these　remnants　are　the　result；　is　given　by　Professor　Stewart；　the　curator；　as　follows：　At　half　past　four　on　June　8；　1878；　James　Orman　and　others　were　at　work　near　Snave；　in　Romney　Marsh；　about　eight　miles　from　Ashford。　The　men　were　engaged　in　lopping　willows；　when　the　violence　of　the　rain　compelled　them　to　take　refuge　under　a　hedge。　Three　of　the　men　entered　a　shed　near　by；　but　Orman　remained　by　the　willow；　close　to　the　window　of　the　shed。　Scarcely　were　the　three　inside　when　a　lightning…stroke　entered　the　door；　crossed　the　shed；　and　passed　out　the　window；　which　it　blew　before　it　into　the　field。　The　men　noticed　that　the　tree　under　which　Orman　stood　was　stripped　of　its　bark。　Their　companion's　boots　stood　close　to　the　foot　of　the　tree；　while　the　man　himself　lay　almost　perfectly　naked　a　few　yards　further　on；　calling　for　help。　When　they　left　him　a　few　moments　previously；　he　was　completely　clad　in　a　cotton　shirt；　cotton　jacket；　flannel　vest；　and　cotton　trousers；　secured　at　the　waist　with　leather　straps　and　buckles。　Orman　also　wore　a　pair　of　stout　hobnail　boots；　and　had　a　watch　and　chain。　After　the　lightning…stroke；　however；　all　he　had　on　him　was　the　left　arm　of　his　flannel　vest。　The　field　was　strewn　for　some　distance　with　fragments　of　the　unfortunate　man's　clothing。　Orman　was　thrown　down；　his　eyebrows　burned　off；　and　his　whiskers　and　beard　much　scorched。　His　chest　was　covered　with　superficial　burns；　and　he　had　sustained　a　fracture　of　the　leg。　His　strong　boots　were　torn　from　his　feet；　and　his　watch　had　a　hole　burned　right　through　it；　as　if　a　soldering　iron　had　been　used。　The　watch…chain　was　almost　completely　destroyed；　only　a　few　links　remaining。　Together　with　some　fused　coins；　these　were　found　close　by；　and　are　deposited　in　a　closed　box　in　the　Museum。　According　to　Orman's　account　of　the　affair；　he　first　felt　a　violent　blow　on　the　chest　and　shoulders；　and　then　he　was　involved　in　a　blinding　light　and　hurled　into　the　air。　He　said　he　never　lost　consciousness；　but　when　at　the　hospital　he　seemed　very　deaf　and　stupid。　He　was　discharged　perfectly　cured　twenty　weeks　after　the　occurrence。　The　scientific　explanation　of　this　amazing　escape　from　this　most　eccentric　vagary　of　the　electric　fluid　is　given；the　fact　that　the　wet　condition　of　the　man's　clothing　increased　its　power　of　conduction；　and　in　this　way　saved　his　life。　It　is　said　that　the　electric　current　passed　down　the　side　of　Orman's　body；　causing　everywhere　a　sudden　production　of　steam；　which　by　its　expansion　tore　the　clothing　off　and　hurled　it　away。　It　is　a　curious　fact　that　where　the　flannel　covered　the　man's　skin　the　burns　were　merely　superficial；　whereas　in　those　parts　touched　by　the　cotton　trousers　they　were　very　much　deeper。　This　case　is　also　quoted　and　described　by　Dr。　Wilks。

There　was　a　curious　case　of　lightning…stroke　reported　at　Cole　Harbor；　Halifax。　A　diver；　while　at　work　far　under　the　surface　of　the　water；　was　seriously　injured　by　the　transmission　of　a　lightning…stroke；　which　first　struck　the　communicating　air　pump　to　which　the　diver　was　attached。　The　man　was　brought　to　the　surface　insensible；　but　he　afterward　recovered。

Permanent　Effect　of　Lightning　on　the　Nervous　System。MacDonald　mentions　a　woman　of　seventy…eight　who；　some　forty…two　years　previous；　while　ironing　a　cap　with　an　Italian　iron；　was　stunned　by　an　extremely　vivid　flash　of　lightning　and　fell　back　unconscious　into　a　chair。　On　regaining　consciousness　she　found　that　the　cap　which　she　had　left　on　the　table；　remote　from　the　iron；　was　reduced　to　cinders。　Her　clothes　were　not　burned　nor　were　there　any　marks　on　the　skin。　After　the　stroke　she　felt　a　creeping　sensation　and　numbness；　particularly　in　the　arm　which　was　next　to　the　table。　She　stated　positively　that　in　consequence　of　this　feeling　she　could　predict　with　the　greatest　certainty　when　the　atmosphere　was　highly　charged　with　electricity；　as　the　numbness　increased　on　these　occasions。　The　woman　averred　that　shortly　before　or　during　a　thunder　storm　she　always　became　nauseated。　MacDonald　offers　as　a　physiologic　explanation　of　this　case　that　probably　the　impression　produced　forty…two　years　before　implicated　the　right　brachial　plexus　and　the　afferent　branches　of　the　pneumogastric；　and　to　some　degree　the　vomiting　center　in　the　medulla；　hence；　when　the　atmosphere　was　highly　charged　with　electricity　the　structures　affected　became　more　readily　impressed。　Camby　relates　the　case　of　a　neuropathic　woman　of　thirty…eight；　two　of　whose　children　were　killed　by　lightning　in　her　presence。　She　herself　was　unconscious　for　four　days；　and　when　she　recovered　consciousness；　she　was　found　to　be　hemiplegic　and　hemianesthetic　on　the　left　side。　She　fully　recovered　in　three　weeks。　Two　years　later；　during　a　thunder　storm；　when　there　was　no　evidence　of　a　lightning…stroke；　she　had　a　second　attack；　and　three　years　later　a　third　attack　under　similar　circumstances。　

There　are　some　ocular　injuries　from　lightning　on　record。　In　these　cases　the　lesions　have　consisted　of　detachment　of　the　retina；　optic　atrophy；　cataract；　hemorrhages　into　the　retina；　and　rupture　of　the　choroid；　paralysis　of　the　oculomotor　muscles；　and　paralysis　of　the　optic　nerve。　According　to　Buller　of　Montreal；　such　injuries　may　arise　from　the　mechanic　violence　sustained　by　the　patient　rather　than　by　the　thermal　or　chemic　action　of　the　current。　Buller　describes　a　case　of　lightning…stroke　in　which　the　external　ocular　muscles；　the　crystalline　lens；　and　the　optic　nerve　were　involved。　Godfrey　reports　the　case　of　Daniel　Brown；　a　seaman　on　H。M。S。　Cambrian。　While　at　sea　on　February　21；　1799；　he　was　struck　both　dumb　and　blind　by　a　lightning…stroke。　There　was　evidently　paralysis　of　the　optic　nerve　and　of　the　oculomotor　muscles；　and　the　muscles　of　the　glottis　were　also　in　some　manner　deprived　of　motion。

That　an　amputation　can　be　perfectly　performed　by　a　lightning…stroke　is　exemplified　in　the　case　of　Sycyanko　of　Cracow；　Poland。　The　patient　was　a　boy　of　twelve；　whose　right　knee　was　ankylosed。　While　riding　in　a　field　in　a　violent　storm；　a　loud　peal　of　thunder　caused　the　horse　to　run　away；　and　the　child　fell　stunned　to　the　ground。　On　coming　to　his　senses　the　boy　found　that　his　right　leg　was　missing；　the　parts　having　been　divided　at　the　upper　end　of　the　tibia。　The　wound　was　perfectly　round　and　the　patella　and　femur　were　intact。　There　were　other　signs　of　burns　about　the　body；　but　the　boy　recovered。　Some　days　after　the　injury　the　missing　leg　was　found　near　the　place　where　he　was　first　thrown　from　the　horse。

The　therapeutic　effect　of　lightning…stroke　is　verified　by　a　number　of　cases；　a　few　of　which　will　be　given。　Tilesius　mentions　a　peculiar　case　which　was　extensively　quoted　in　London。　Two　brothers；　one　of　whom　was　deaf；　were　struck　by　lightning。　It　was　found　that　the　inner　part　of　the　right　ear　near　the　tragus　and　anti…helix　of　one　of　the　individuals　was　scratched；　and　on　the　following　day　his　hearing　returned。　Olmstead　quotes　the　history　of　a　man　in　Carteret　County；　N。C。；　who　was　seized　with　a　paralytic　affection　of　the　face　and　eyes；　and　was　quite　unable　to　close　his　lids。　While　in　his　bedroom；　he　was　st