Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-06-28

terrain different views respecting this i'm
por,sn, subject; in fact, ] may soy, they
con,radic, each other.
In ell The cases can 10y my hands upon,
even such % are digni6ed by being called
"au,hen,ic," are recorded associa,ing cir
eumstances to account for the destruction Of
life and The human body, more in accordance
with scientific truths than by Spontaneous
combustion. The cases reported ore invs-
risbly associated with known drunkenness,
except three, and Krook is one Of The three,
and have taken place when the unfortunate
victims were alone. This is acknowledged
by Ben Allen as "no insignificant faci," snd
agree with him. When any theory, how
ever absurd, be started, the human family
are composed Of such materials ,ha, this
very absurdiy recommends itself to their
particular attention. ] will briefly state the
csses referred ,o,-one has already been
disposed of. The first case reported was
an Italian Countess named Cornelia Bardi.
who, feeling one evening drowsy, retired
to bed earlier than usual, and was attended
by her maid until she fell asleep. When
the girl on the following morning entered
her mistress's apartment. dreadful spects-
Gle presented ITSELF Al The distance Of four
feet from the bed there was . heap of ashes,
in which the head, legs end arms Of the
Countess could he traced, &c. This &C.
count was given by the Coun,ess's friends
az mos, wonderful process, and inasmuch
as she was a Countess, the learned Doctors
wishing, doubtless, 10 connect their own
comparslive nemelessness with such an il.
lusirIous personsge as the Countess Of Co.
sins, end wishing perhaps TO curry favor
with the surviving members Of her family,
her representatives., and her friends, gave.
in solemn conclave, the cause Of her death
the eupboneous appelalion Of spontaneous
combustion. Unfortunately for Cornels's
memory, or fortunately, sccnrding 10 the
readers fancy, i, leaked out, after this grand
inques. had rendered their verdict, ,ha, she
was IN The hsbi, Of "bathing her bodv in
camphorated spirit Of ,Uine.'' This be
lieve wss the origin Of the name. If am
in error Ben Allen will be kind enough to
correct me Blu, it was sufficien, 10 Sc. the
hall in motion, end theorists did not stop 10
enquire whether the verdict was corrccl,-
whether il was consistent with reason or
common sen>e,-or whether j, was in ac-
cordsnce with the laws Which govern the
human economy,-but went on 10 lheorse
aud speculate as 10 it's modus operandi-
The next case is .bs, of poor Friar, who
having been wesried out from attending
lair, returns home, goes to bed, end in few
minutes is heard screaming. and his friends
rushing in find him encircled with Q lam
bent fame, which re,i'es as they approach.
The poor man lives several DAYS, is dread.
fully burned, suffers agony until deaf clos
| es the scene. When his case is investigated
ii is discovered that he too died from the
effects OF spontaneous combustion. His
doctors end his friends thought ,ha, ne had
as much righ. to do so the sforemenlion-
ed Countess. de,sil these cases because
they head The list Of ''au,hen,ic cases." and
are offered by the supporters Of this theory
as the strongest specimens Of proof in their
favor. Ben Allen will use them 10 substsn
tis.e his theory. !. would be easy to emu
merale instances reported in the medical
books, but j. would occupy too much space
end be uninteres,ing. 1t is sufficien. for my
purpose 10 say that no other cases have been
offered, entitled TO as much weight in sus-
tanning the possibility Of spontaneous com
buslion as the cases above. No charge was
made against them si The time Of drunken
ness. Every other case was acknowledged
to be a drunkard, and ell of them retired
drunk, and were alone when combustion
commenced. With as much respec. for them
as they deserve, ! csnno, help thinking ,ha.
her sdyship, the Countess, and his rever-
cnce. the Friar, died drunk too. Judging
from the present composition Of society,
there were many reasons Tor suppressing
this feature in both Of The cases under con-
siderstion. II it be granted that alcohol was
used,) and Ben Allen has done so in general
TERMS, The combustion may be accounted
for wi,hou, doing violence to scientific in.
vestigs.ion, even If The aid Of phosphure,.ed
hydrogen be abandoned. When The human
body, or any other body is saturated with
alcohol, OF has alcohol sprinkled over its
eurfsce, it will burn, if fame be applied, un
I'll the alcohol is consumed. Any one by
dipping his finger in alcohol and sppIying it
10 lighted candle can test j, for himself.
! Drunkards. from carelessness, might be, and
are very easily burned 10 death by taking
their gtog near lighted candle and spilIng
it upon themselves and the candle. How
often DO We read Of persons being burned
by e'herisl oil, csmphene, &c., and presen,-
ing symptoms and effects .ha. nigh. con-
vince the credulous ,ha, they originated
without On ex.ernsl cause, if j, was no,
positively known. Why have the reported
cases always occurred while tho victims
were alone? Why did no. the Countess
take FIRE while her maid wss with her and
Why were her ashes found some distance
from her bed, Without leaving any traces in
her bed where she had been lef; asleep. /,
is probable che wen, near The candle and