The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-08-26
NO. 49,.

ed, that those subjects where this has occur
red, are generally fat, chiefly women, and in
years, also in the habit of frequent indulgence
il ncbriety, generally excessive drinkers Of
spirits likewise that it has generally hap
pened when the party was in an intoxicated
state.
Of the intensity of this fire we may form
some idea, because the fercest funereal fires
always left relics of bones or some small por-
tion Of the body unconsumed; whereas, this
fire reduces the bones and every part of the
body into an impalpable. powder, in state
Of humidity.
A philosopher of Verona has maintained,
we understand, in series of sound argument
and clear ratiocinaton, that conflagration
may arise from the inhanhhable nature Of
materials found existing in the human frame.
without the aid of any exterior cause. Some
maintain, and among them Signor Branchini.
that in one instance which we shall recount,
it arose, as well from internal fire, as from
some camphorated spirit of wine, which the
lady had been previously using
| There was a spontaneous combustion took
place in the case of woman of Paris, who
was in the habit of drinking brandy to excess
and who was one night reduced to ashes
from the before mentioned causc-all but
her head and the ends of her fingers, Novum
! LJHfVfH 4 HUSINOI. utttuS. sfUSS' Al - L~
Second was Signora Corn. Zangari, or as cal-
led Corn Bandi, a lady aged 81, of unblem-
ished life, near Cessna, in Romagna, who
suffered tho same fate. This is the case to
which previous alluson is made in the re-
mark by Signor Branchna she had retired
! to her chamber somewhat indisposed, and
in the morning was found in the middle of
the room, reduced to ashes, all except her
face, skull, three fingers, and legs, which re-
manned entire, with shoes and stockings on.
The ashes were light, and on pressure be-
tween the fingers vanished, leaving gross
offensive moisture, with which the floor was
smcared the walls and furniture OF the
room covered with moist unctuous SCOT,
which had also stained the linen in the chest,
as we'll as penetrated into closet; it had al-
so assembled into an upper room, the walls OF
that also being moistened with the same vis-
cious and highly offensive matter. Mem. de
1rev. an. 1871, p. 1898.
The third we shall mention, occurred in
this country. Grace Pet, of Ipswich, Suf,
folk, aged 60, in 1854, who had previously
drank large quantity of spirituous liquor
the trunk Of her body was found incinerated,
resembling heap of Goals, covered with
white ashes, and emitting an extremely fet-
id odour and smoke.
The fourth case is that of Mary Cloes, of
Coventry, aged 50, in 1772, who was SO much
addicted to intoXicatiol, that scarcely a day
passed in which she did not drink at least
pint of rum, or anisced water. In her case,
nothing remained of the skin, the bones, and
the visccra; the bones of the crannium, the
breast, the spine, and the upper extremitics,
were entirely consumed; a most disagreea-
Bile vapour had eXuled from the apartment
where the combustion occurred.
4 The fifth is a similar instance, mentioned
by Vicq d.azyr, in the Encycioh. Metho-
diqne a woman, about the same age as the
last, indulged in excessive spirtuous liquors,
went to bed every night intoxicated--was
found reduced to ashes.
lie Cat, in memoir OH spontaneous burning
mentions many other instances of combus-
ton of the human body. Two facts of a
similar kind arc stated in the Journal de
Medicine, vol. liX. p. 440.
Among other instances, besides the pre-
cedng, there is one recorded by DR.. Swe-
diaur, of some persons at Warsaw, who had
drank abundantly of malt spirits, and fell
down in the street with smoke issuing from
their mouths; the people who came to their
assistance said they would take fire to pre-
vent which, they poured down their throats
large quantities of milk; and it is presumed,
to get the offensive matter from the stomach,
drcnchcd them with a considerable portion
of fresh made human urine. Which cases
are likewise mentioned by M. lie Lair, in his
memoir to the Philosophic Society at Paris
whence that author reduces circumstances
ofthis description to the following heads: 1st
The persons who have been the victims were
generally much addicted to viscious excess
in drinking of strong spirituous liquors to
which intemperance the inhabitants of the
north are most subject, and consequently to
these accidents. Cd. They are usually very
fat. Sd. The combustion has happened more
frequently iii the case Of women. 4th. These.
women were old. 5th. In one case the body
did not appear to have been burnt by COM
bustion perfectly spontaneous; but perhaps
i'll consequence Of some very slight exterior
cause, as lighted taper, candle, or tobacco-
/ pipe. 9th. The extremties of their bodies,
as the legs, hands, Uranium, &c. escaped the
! fire. 7th. Water, as in the burning of oil,
or greasy substances, would increase, it is
conceived, instead of allaying the flame.
8th The fire very slightly damaged, and in
some instances did not injure other combust-
ible objects with which it came in contact at
the moment the body was consuming. 9th.
The combustion of these bodies left resi-
dunn OF oily and feted ashes, with greasy
SCOT OF a most disagreeable smell.
After the enumeration of these circun-
stances, the author advances variety of hy-
pothesis to endeavor to ascertain the cause,