Reach for the Light

"Dehati Mualij" by Hakim Muhammad Saeed, Health

First Aid: How to Deal with Lightning

lightning

Translation of Hakeem Saeed’s “Dehati Mualij”

Chapt 1 : Accidents; contd.

Lightning becomes very dangerous sometimes. Lightning is a electrical discharge that flows between clouds, from a cloud to air, or from a cloud to the ground, while thunder is produced by the rapid heating of air by a lightning bolt. Thunderstorms normally last for no more than half-an-hour.

Although most lightning flashes occur within a storm cloud, about 20 per cent of strikes reach the ground. It’s not just a direct hit you need to worry about. Any strike close to you can be dangerous as it leads to a huge amount of electricity in the surrounding area. Lightning can also strike an object near you and jump sideways. 

Precautions

If someone is directly hit by the lightning then there is no chance to survive so when there is a thunderstorm one should take the following precautions:

  1. Stay indoors;
  2. Do not wear black clothes when going out in storm;
  3. Do not stay under or near the trees;
  4. Avoid using landline phones when there is a lightning storm;
  5. Unplug all electric devices including the television and computers;

First Aid

If someone is hit with the lightning and is alive then pour a lot of cold water on him until the person is wet all over and then try all the things given under burning with fire. I am pasting those instructions here again:

  • Put the person on a clean place, it could be a bed or cot;
  • Mix the soda bicarbonate in water and spread on the burned area, this will finish the burning feeling on the burned spots;
  • The soda bicarbonate will also not let the place vesicate;
  • If soda is not available then crush the potatoes and put the paste on the wounds;

If the place is vesicated then take a needle and disinfect it with spirit or hydrogen per oxide or with fire and the use it to prick the vesicated place so that the water comes out Then take the linseed oil or coconut oil and lime water in equal amount and mix it so that it becomes a paste. Now put this paste on the burn wounds.

Tamarix aphylla (farash tree) skin is the best medicine for the burn wounds.. Burn the skin of the tree to ashes and then use this ash for the burns. Spread ghee or coconut oil on the wounds and spread some ash on it. It will heal the wound in some days.

After doing all this take the person to a doctor.

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