A Letter from Dr. Wallis of Jan. 11. 1697/8. To Dr. Sloane, Concerning the Effects of a Great Storm of Thunder and Lightning at Everdon in Northamptonshire, (Wherein Diuers Persons Were Killed) on July 27. 1691

II. A Letter from Dr. Wallis of Jan. II. 1697. To Dr. Sloane, concerning the Effects of a great Storm of Thunder and Lightning at Everdon in Northamptonshire, (wherein divers Persons were killed) on July 27. 1691. SIR, Oxford, Jan. II. 1697. In my Letter of July 26. 1697. (which you were pleased to insert in the Philosophical Transactions, Numb. 231. for the Month of August, 1697.) relating to Thunder and Lightning and Hail; I mentioned what had happened, some Years since at Everton or Everdon, in Northamptonshire, not far from Towcester, but nearer to Daventry or Daintry; where divers Persons were killed, and others hurt, with Lightning. Concerning which, (because it was a remarkable Accident) I have since made a more particular Inquiry into the Circumstances of it; and have an Account thereof to this purpose, from Mr. Richard Butler, a Gentleman of Preston near the Place, (who is wont to be particularly Inquisitive upon such occasional Accidents) and Mr. Edwards, Minister of Badby, adjoining; who were both Spectators or Eye-witnesses of the Effects thereof, soon after it happened. In Harvest time, on the 27th Day of July, 1691, in Everdon-Field, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, divers were at work reaping Corn, most of them of the Parish of Badby, near adjoining. The Morning was fair and clear, but before Noon there came a violent Storm of Thunder, Lightning, and Rain; which cau- fed the dry Reapers to retreat for Shelter, to a Quick-set Hedge, with a Ditch by the side of it, of about Twenty Yards in Length, cross the Head of some Had-Lands, (as they are called) about Twenty Persons in all; of whom Four (not Five, as was said) were killed, Eight others dangerously Hurt, of whom one was a Woman great with Child; (whereof Six were in the Ditch, and Two out of it) the rest not much hurt. The Four that were killed, were Simon Marriot, a Taylor, and his Son Robert Marriot (a Youth of about Seventeen or Eighteen Years of Age,) Richard Wells a Shoemaker, and Thomas Burroughs a Weaver; all of the Parish of Badby. Upon the first Tidings of it, Mr. Edwards the Minister of Badby repaired to the Place: Where Robert Marriot lay on his Back, out of the Ditch, having strugled (as was said by the By-Standers) after the Stroak, Mr. Edwards says, he saw no Marks, or Sign of Hurt on the Body, (though some Londoners who were there, have said, that all his Bones were broke within him, which is supposed to be a Mistake;) but Deborah Traefer of Badby (the Woman who laid out him and the rest) says, there was a Hole about the Bigness of a Goose-shot in the Pit of his Stomach, and many more about his Legs. There was in the Hedge a Pollard-Ash, under which sat Simon Marriot and Richard Wells; but Thomas Burroughs sat at the Distance of Two or Three Yards from thence. In this Tree were cut or raised Four (or more) Grooves or Furrows, from the Top to near the Bottom, (deeper than the Bark, and about an Inch broad each of them) on that Side of the Tree on which the Men sat; but no Damage Appeared on the Tree elsewhere; there being a Knot on the opposite Side, which is supposed to have diverted the Stream of the Fiery Matter. The Green Thorns were Scorched, and the Place smelt rank of Sulphur. Simon Marriot had the Crown of his Hat cut into the Shape as of a bearded Arrow; and at the Band-place cut smooth, almost round about from the Brim. His Cloaths on one Shoulder cut jaggedly to the Skin; where was a Scar about Four Inches in Length, of a Long Oval Figure; the transverse Diameter whereof was deepest, of a darkish red Colour, as hard as Horn all over. He had Snush on his Hand, as if just ready to take it. Richard Wells had a little Dog on his Lap, or between his Legs, dead. His Hand upon the Dog's Head, his Eyes open, and with Bread and Cheese (or one of them) in his Hand, as if going to give the Dog a bit. His Shoulder (as his Relations say) was struck down, and in a manner fevered from his Body. Thomas Burroughs sat as looking up to the Heavens, His Head turning toward one side, as viewing the Clouds, his Eyes open. He had, in his Pocket, a Copper Tobacco-box, which had one little round Hole struck quite through it; and a little of the Metal on one side, seemed to have run. By these Postures, it is evident they died in a Moment. Mr. Edwards adds, that he took Simon Marriot's Hat, and some of his Cloaths, and held them against the Light, and they appeared full of Holes, as a Skimmer or Colander. But (at which he wondered most) the Woman who laid him out told him, their Buttocks which sat upon the Ground were pittifully mangled, and their Privy Members rent and torn in Pieces; and more especially those of Thomas Burroughs, as if small Bars of red hot Iron had been thrust up into them in many Places. The Hair of their Heads was burnt very much. Some had no Harm that were hard by; but others were wounded at a Distance, and their Wounds were cured with more Difficulty than ordinary Burns. It was (before the Storm) a pretty still Day. But before each Thunder-clap, was heard a great whirling Noise in the Trees, like Wind. The Lightning was observ'd, by Persons at a Distance, as falling perpendicularly upon them. Those who recovered had their Cloaths full of Holes, as if they had been shot through. Not a Drop of Blood appeared upon any of them. Their Hurts like Dry scarred or healed Wounds. Simon Marriot, and Robert Marriot were struck back; the other Two (supported, as is supposed, by the Hedge at their Back) continued in the Posture wherein they were killed, Three or Four Hours after, when Mr. Butler saw them. The Eight Persons who were hurt, but not killed, were John Bird, and Mary his Wife, William Gregory, and Mary his Wife, and Mary his Daughter, Elizabeth Dod, and John Tibbe, (all of Everdon) and Thomas—Apprentice to Burroughs of Badby. Several others were struck down, but not much hurt. Several of those hurt, were taken up for dead, but soon came to themselves without any Application; but some of them were fain to be carried home. Gregory's Wife had Four little Holes in her Knee, like Shot-holes; which turned to Sores, and had Cores come out of them. Mary Bird (the Woman with Child) had all over her Body, near an Hundred Wounds, of one sort or other; and Seventeen large Wounds, some as large as a Man's Hand; on each Arm one, and one on each side of her Belly. Out of most of her Wounds came Cores, some bigger, some less; the biggest were bigger than a Walnut, dry and black like Leather. She had Two Sores on the Soles of her Feet, but her Shoes and Stockings not touched. She sat next to those that were killed. killed. She was taken out of the Ditch for dead, and was supposed to be killed (whereupon it was at first given out, that there were Five killed, but this one of the Five did recover); she was sensible of the Stroke, and sensible that her Husband looked Pale, and then Swooned away. She and her Husband were both blooded; the within an Hour after, and her Husband Eight Hours after; and they bled freely. Their Legs were mightily Swelled, before they were carried out of the Field. The Woman was very sore and full of Pain, so that she could hardly bear any Cloaths to touch her. She was Three Weeks ill before she could rise, and continued ill about a Quarter of a Year; no Medicines used for Burns did any Good, but occasioned great Torment to her. The first that they perceived to do good was, Oil of St. John's-wort; and after the Cores were come out, the Black-Salve. She went out her full time, The Child had no Marks or Blemish at all upon this Occasion; and is yet living. About that time of the Year, she hath been blooded ever since. She finds a great Tingling, and hath little Pimples like Stinging of Nettles; and cannot be well till she hath been blooded. The Wounds of all those that were hurt, were like those of this Woman; but slighter; and some of them had no Cores came out of them. This is the best account I can give you of this Matter; which I have put together as well as I could, out of the broken Remarks which I had in Writing from the Two Gentlemen above mentioned; and, as near as might be, in their own Words. As to my Thoughts of the natural Causes of the particular Accidents, I have little more to add to what I said in my former Letter; but leave it to each one to judge as he shall think fit. It seems to me to proceed from some Caustick Vapour (of a like Nature with the Ingredients of Gun-Powder) dispersed in the Air from the Clouds downward, (these Clouds being at this time very low) which Vapour being in some Places thicker than in others, when it chance tho be fired, the Flame flies like Lightning, (as the Phrase is) or fired Gun-powder, according as the Matter leads it, and makes more or less Explosion here and there, as the Matter is more or less copious. It seems that in and over this Ditch, there was plenty of such Matter; and perhaps even under those who were thus killed or wounded: And then, it is not strange that such Effects should happen, as are described; For the like would have happened if Gun-powder had been so fired. And if this Explosive Quality were attended with that of Glaciation (as Thunder is after accompanied with Hail, Niter being a proper Efficient of both,) there might be such Concretions, in the Nature of Hail as might (by such Explosion) be scattered like Hail-shot out of a Gun, and cause such Holes as are said to have been in the Cloaths and Feet of these Persons. And what is said to have been observed by others at a Distance, like a Ball of Fire falling down directly upon the Place, might be a Propagation of the Flame kindled above, and continued, as the Vapour directed it, to the Place (as would be in a Train of Gun-powder) and might there hurt some and spare others, according as it was here or there more Copious. For we are not to presume that it was in all Places equally mixed. And the Cores which came out of the Wounds, seem like Escars made by a Caustick or other Burnings: Of which Physicians and Chirurgeons are the proper Judges. I take these Cores to be scorch'd Skin, mortified, (beat into the Flesh by that Hail-shot) and appearing like burnt Leather: Which must be worked out before the Wound could be healed; as is usual, when other Heterogeneous Matter is forced into the Flesh. That some of the People not far off, might be thrown down, and not otherwise considerably hurt, is not strange; who might be within the Blast, though not within the reach of the Fire; as we see in the Explosion of Gun-powder, (to which I take this to be very like) when Windows (and other things at a Distance) are shaken and shatter'd by the Blast, or great Concussion of the Air, though the Flame do not reach them. III. Some Additional Remarks on the Extracting the Stone of the Bladder out of those of the Female Sex. By Thomas Molyneux, M.D. S. R. S. About Six Years since, a Paper of mine was read before our Philosophical Society here in Dublin, and after publish'd in the Philosophical Transactions, Numb. 202. Wherein I gave an Account of a Stone of an extraordinary bigness, spontaneously voided through the Vthera, by a Woman here in Dublin: And as a Corollary or Deduction from this History, I there proposed the Extraction of the Stone, by the gradual Dilatation of the Vrethra, or Neck of the Bladder, without any manner of Section, as the most safe and easy Way, and of most general use, for the freeing those of the Female Sex from the Stone in the Bladder.