Page:The Philosophy of Earthquakes, Natural and Religious.djvu/34

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The Philosophy of

selves suddenly sick at stomach, and their heads dizzy and light; so that those that had formerly fits of apoplexies, dreaded their return; particularly, one gentleman, a surgeon, feeling himself so affected, and fearing a return of his apoplexy, resolved to be let blood, without suspecting the earthquake."

After these two shocks which we felt, many people had pains in their joints and back, as after electrifying; many had sickness, headakes, hysteric and nervous disorders, and colicks, for the whole day after, and some much longer, especially people of weak nerves, weak constitutions; some women miscarry'd upon it; to some it has prov'd fatal.

To this we must attribute, that relation we had, of the dog lying asleep before the fire; but upon the earthquake, he suddenly got up, run about the room, whining, and endeavouring to get out.

Any solid matter is capable of being put into a state of electricity, such as iron guns; and the more so, by reason of their solidity. And in proportion to it, is the greatness of the snap, and of the shock and a kind of lambent flame issues from the point of contact; and likewise somewhat of a sulphurous smell: So that if both flame and smell were

dis-