Lightning injuries

Injuries caused by lightning are examined from several angles in this volume, which draws on specialists from three continents. It opens with a brief historical survey that explains the physics behind lightning and the principles of electrical circuit theory, laying groundwork for the chapters that follow. Those chapters cover how often lightning injuries occur, the biological mechanisms behind their characteristic features, and how clinicians should treat affected patients. Injuries transmitted through communication networks, including telephone lines, receive their own discussion, as do methods of protecting people and structures from strikes. The book also looks at the legal responsibility that can follow a lightning strike. It is intended for a broad readership, with material suited to doctors, lawyers and engineers alike. The editors present it as the most complete single-volume treatment of these related subjects published to date.