| ID | #1632771558 |
| Added | Mon, 27/09/2021 |
| Author | July N. |
| Sources | The New York Daily Tribune
|
| Phenomena | |
| Status | Hypothesis
|
Initial data
New York, March 24, 1879, p.
FIREBALL STRIKE
Edward Brain from Paterson, New Jersey, tells the same story - his clothes and hands were badly burned - that his friend says.
A boy of about fifteen named Edward Brain, who lives with his father, Jacob Brain, at 341 Allison Street in Paterson, New Jersey, was sent around 21: 00 on Saturday to buy groceries at a nearby store. On the way, he was joined by another boy named Robert Dureau, about twelve years old. It was raining heavily. When they were passing through the vacant lot on Pearl Street, at the end of Summer Street, to get to the store on Mechanic Street, Durohe said that he looked up and saw a small fireball approaching them from above in an oblique line - a small fireball that instantly hit Brain in the left chest, passed under his coat and spread a mass of flame over the boy's chest and sides.
At that time, Brain was holding his left hand on his chest, and there was a quarter of a dollar in it. Both boys were terribly scared, and Brain says that he was almost knocked down. They ran to Mechanic Street, to a grocery store owned by a man named Cox. He immediately took off young Brain's flaming clothes. Brain says he was almost knocked down.
The boy's coat was burned to the ground on one side, as were his underwear. His side was badly burned and blistered, and the tip of his thumb, including the nail, was burned. His left hand was also badly burned, and the 25-cent coin he was holding in his hand was partially melted.
The young Brain was under the medical supervision of Dr. Garnett, who stated that his injuries were not dangerous. Brain says he didn't see anything; that he only heard a hiss above his head when he was hit. Another boy, a very smart guy, who was about fifteen feet away from his friend, says that he saw a fireball approaching very clearly.
Brain claims that he did not feel any shock, as from a solid substance, but says that at the moment he was paralyzed. Both boys are grateful, and their story is recognized by everyone to whom it was told.
Original news
The New York Daily Tribune
New York, New York, DAILY TRIBUNE, 24 March 1879, page
STRUCK BY A BALL OF FIRE
EDWARD BRAIN, OF PATERSON, N.J., TELLS A SINGULAR STORY - HIS CLOTHING AND HANDS BADLY BURNED - WHAT HIS COMRADE SAYS.
A boy, about fifteen years of age, named Edward Brain, living with his father, Jacob Brain, at No. 341 Ellison-st., in Paterson, N.J., was sent, about 9 p.m. Saturday, to purchase some groceries at a store close by. On the way he was joined by another boy, named Robert Duroe, about twelve years of age. It was raining hard. As they were going across a vacant lot in Pearl-st., at the end of Summer-st., in order to get to the store in Mechanic-st., Duroe says he looked up and saw coming toward them from above in an oblique line a small ball of fire, which in an instant struck Brain on the left breast, passed under his coat, and spread into a mass of flame over the boy's breast and side. Brain was holding his left hand on his breast at the time, and in it was a quarter of a dollar. Both boys were terribly frightened, and Brain says he was nearly knocked down. They ran through to Mechanic-st., into the grocery store kept by a man named Cox. He immediately stripped off young Brain's blazing clothes.
The boy's coat was burned to a cinder on one side, as was also his underclothing. His side was badly scorched and blistered, and the end of his thumb, including the nail, was burned off. His left hand was also badly burned, and the 25-cent piece which he held in his hand was partly melted. Young Brain was put under the medical care of Dr. Garnett, who pronounced his injuries not dangerous. Brain says that he saw nothing; that he only heard a hissing noise over his head just as he was struck. The other boy, a very intelligent little fellow, who was about fifteen feet from his comrade, says he saw the ball of fire coming very distinctly. Brain claims not to have felt any shock as from a solid substance, but says he was paralyzed for the moment. Both boys are thankful and their story is credited by all those to whom it has been told.
Hypotheses
Ball lightning
A rare natural phenomenon, a unified physical theory of the origin and course of which has not been presented to date.
There are about 200 theories explaining the phenomenon, but none of them has received absolute recognition in the academic environment. Since this phenomenon was introduced into the scientific sphere by the English physician and researcher of electrical engineering William Snow Harris in 1843, and a scientist of the French Academy Francois Arago in 1855, many hypotheses were put forward. Here are selectively some of them:
Investigation
Resume
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