Alfred Swaine Taylor to Faraday   13 May 1851

3 Cambridge Place | Regts Park May 13 | 1851

Dear Faraday

It has occurred to me that the enclosed recent case of death from lightning might be of interest to you. I therefore send a copy of it for your acceptance.

It was formerly thought that all nervous and muscular power was so completely destroyed by the passage of an electric current through the body, that in death from lightning, the limbs never became rigid. John Hunter¹ held this opinion. The fallacy, however, arose from the rigidity having supervened and passed away before the body was seen. The enclosed case shows that the opinion is erroneous[.] This might have been inferred from the fact that the sutere destruction of nervous and muscular power by disease during life (as in paralysis) does not present that extraordinary condition of the muscles after death which is known as rigidity or rigor mortis - the last indication of actual power in the body.

In the enclosed case, the electric fluid appears to have burst the blood vessels and led to considerable effusion of blood. The red stripes with an arboriferous disposition is an appearance which has given rise to many superstitious notions[.] They have been supposed to represent the impression of a tree. The soldiers of Titus² engaged in the siege of Jerusalem, who were struck during a storm presented the mark of a Cross on the back - so it is said.

The man who lost his life in this case appears to have first received the shock, - and to have been more elevated than the lad: but both were on the low level of the river.

I am | Your’s very truly | Alfred S. Taylor

Prof Faraday