Abstract
KINDLY allow me space for a few remarks upon Sir Oliver Lodge's theory, put forth in NATURE of July 22 (p. 98), to the effect that “the bells get charged with electricity (atmospheric), and are attracted to a neighbouring wall or pipe, and then released suddenly by a spark”. Now, while it is conceivable that a bell might be rung under certain conditions in this manner, during the progress of a thunderstorm or display of sheet-lightning, and granting that ordinary non-electric bells have been rung and wires fused when a house has been struck by the electric current during such storms, still, this theory is inadequate to explain those cases of mysterious bell-ringing on record, and for one reason, among others, that these ringings, often violent and prolonged, have been extended over a term of several weeks or months, and have constantly taken place when no storms or strong electrical conditions were apparent, and when every effort was being made to ascertain the cause.
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TWEEDALE, C. The Ringing of House-bells without Apparent Cause. Nature 81, 189 (1909). https://doi.org/10.1038/081189b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/081189b0
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