Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1836-01-22
EXPERIMENT ON A DRUNKARD

We find 10 the Bangor Commercial Adyer-
User the following remarkable account of an
experiment on drunkard, performed by med
ical student at South Berwick.
IGNITION OF HUMAN BLoop We oh.
serve in the Morning Star an interesting ex-
pertinent which was performed by Jacob c.
Hanson, a medical student of South Der.
wick, Maine on the blood of common
drunkard, who was a residcn. of that village.
IN August last. The circumstances were
briefly these Mr.. Hanson had some time
previous TO his trying tho experiment read
IN some Of the physiological authors, tha,
on the dissection OF the cercbine of a defunct
drunlard, fluid was discovered in its from.
tai sinus. which, on being extracted and ig.
nited By the anatomisi, burned with blue
flame. From this circumstance Mr. II. was
induced to draw the conslusion. tina, during
a proIracted fiji Of in,oxlcation. the blood
must be strongly impregnatod with alcohol
and favorable opportunity soon occurred
Tor testing the truth OF his conjecture. An
habitual and confirmed drunkard came stag.
gering into the Office Of the physician with
whom Mr. II was a student This object
of pity and disgust was exhaling an odor
more resembling alcohol than the breath of
a human being. His eye was iniamed and
flushed, and his whole system had been sat
urated with rum for fortnight without ces-
satlon during this time be had taken but
little food but had swallowed f,co gallons Of
Rum IN the course of the previous five DAYS
Mr. II. remarked that there was some dan
ger Of his perishing by spontaneous combus.
lion, and observed 10 him that he might
derive considerable benefit from being bIed.
giving it as his opinion, that the blood was
much encountered with alcohol, and that he
could ignite il, or in the words which he u
sed 10 the druukard, set it on FIRE
This last remark was followed BY a re-
quest from the drunkard that he should be
bled. which was performed without delay.
From the odor which was percepiible to all
present the moment the fluid followed the
lancet, 1t was evident tina, il consisted Of a
mixture OF blood and alcohol This was
fully confirmed by the experiment which
followed. A pint bowl filled with this fluid
was handed 10 one Of the spectators, who ig-
nlted a match and on bringing it in contact
with the contents of the bowl, a conflaeraiion
Immediately ensued-buming with blue
iOI TUG phNS VI tNCutl 1--WE OF luIll
seconds Mr.. II. concludes his account Of
this curious and interesting experiment, in
the following words
The above experiment which resulted in
a phenomenon thus brilliant, and which
had never noticed either by observation or
IN authors, was not only witnessed by my
self and the subject Of il Who sat mute, as
founded and in breathless silence but by sew
eral respectable gentlemen. together with
worthy and respected physician, my tutor,
who were present and who in the subloincd
certificate vouch for the authenticity of the
fact now submit to the public
JACOB G. HANSON.
To THE PuDLIc We the undersigned.
residents Of South Berwick, Me, do hereby
certify that we were present aud witnessed
the experiment above described
CHARLES TRAFToN.
john G. WEBSTER,
JoHN kENNARD.