Crackling Beds, Clothes in the Sudan Going to bed in the Sudan is apt io be exciting, if the stories of blankets electrically charged by the climate are accepted as evidence. Khartoum appears al ys to have had a sort of "cracking" reputation, Hair and silken clothing have been liable to respond to the touch with the crackling indications of discharging static electricity. Now it seems that blankets have taken to storing up electricity to the confusion of those who would go quietly to bed and to the excitement of the more scientifically disposed who lately set themselves to test he conductivity of nose-tip compared with finger-tip and to measure the length of the respective sparks.
The phenomenon has now been given official recognition, and one manifestation of it has been recorded in the May issue of the "Meteorological Magazine" Mr. William' D. Flower, of the Meteorological Service, stationed at Khartoum, writes in that journal as follows "On the evening of March 6, 1997, a bed had been made up on an angareeb (native bed made of rope on a wood framework) at about 6 p.m., just about sunset, and when the outside blanket was approached soon after 10 p.m. a spark, which appeared to be at least half an inch long, was Observed to pass between it and the person's nose. A sharp prick was experienced at the tip of the nasal organ. In the case of the adjoining bed smaller sparks were observed to pass between the blankets and Gnger-tips, where a tingling sensation was felt"
It is confessed that such conditions are normal, at least during the winter months, and it is presumed that the electricity is caused by the friction of sand particles against each other when they are driven by the wind. Mr, Flower notes that on the day of his observations there had been much sand haze and driven sand during the morning, but that this had cleared by midday. From this it would seem that procrastination in bed-making affords no protection against shocks and, given sufficient impregnation of blankets with sand it should be possible for the restless sleeper to generate his own electrical alarm during the hours of night.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.