The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-20

All readers OF Charles Dickens will re-
member that " Krook,'' one OF the char.
acters IN Bleak House, dies in that
repulsive way. When the
novel was first published, the suthor
was severely raped on the knuckle.
by the recently deceased George Henry
LeWes and other eminent scientific men
Tor rehabiiitating what they considered
q long exploded fiction. In the next
edition of his works, Dickens, in the
preface to Bleak House, thus replies TO
his critics: The possibility OF spon
taneoUs combustion has been denied
since the death Of Mr.. KrOok and my
good friend Mr.. Lewes published some
ingenious letters to me at the time when
that event was chTOnicled, arguing that
spontaneous combustion could not posi-
bly, be. I have no need to observe that
l do not wilfully or negligentIy mislead
nv readers, and that before I wrote that
description l took pains to investigate
the subject" He then cites several
authorities and cases in support OF
bis position. The question has always
hinged on the possibility of a sufficient
quantity OF hydrogen accumulating il
the body to sustain combustion. 1t has
never been denied that if sufficient
quantity of phOspheretted or carburetted
hydrogen was generated the body might
easily be consumed. Sir William Gull,
or Guys hospital, testified before q COM
mittee OF the house of lords that one OF
the Barclay and Perkins draymen died
suddenly in the hospital at night, aad
that next day the body was 50 disJeDded
with gas as to present an extraordinary
appearance. Wishing TO know what
tkis meant, we punctured the skin in
maUy parts and tested it. It was carbu-
Tetted hydrogen, and l Temem Der light
ing on his BODY fifteen or sixteen gas
lights at once, They continued burning
until the gas had been consumed.
Another Psychologist who apparently
leaned to the spontaneous possibility, Is
reported to have said: :" A tat BODY is
more liable 10 an explosion than q lean
one. The danger OF manu- ,acturing gar
o. such q highly infammable nsGGre n
carbuIeUted hydrogen iD the system by 4
persistent appetite tor alcoholic hquur
Cab not be too strongly en- creed, and
until heavy drinkers are convinced o.
the danger, [ would recommend them 10
be careful OF their pipes and matcbe-.
Spontaneous combustion of the human
Oudy IL referred l.. Ia the CyclLI q la O,
| MessIs. B ackIe q Sons. as uIloygs
That The human cody has been H.
many instauc 8 ispoDtaneous consumed
or partially CONSUMED by CON butt on, Ii,
one who has read with Ordinary aJteu.
ton the history of facts Illustrative a
that astounding phenomenon, will 81
tempt ~ deny. Wust cOnIItiUn OF thr
| system tends to such Il fatal issue. ui
/ how the various fluids ami sU.ids OF the
/ human boy acqu red chemical constr
Z. a mn -
| Is difficult 10 explain. The re-
/ corded cases OF : JOuJaneOHs combustion
! o. human beings have be, n considered
/ zpOcryphaI, and in truth we cannot be
| suTprlsed at this opinion when we refircl
! On the extreme d mCuity OF burning tC
a-hes rect nifty deAu animal matter. But
SUCH Incredniity IN the present day car
| only be fOun4ed in ignorance. The ex,
/ an pies which have occurred o. late year,
are toe veil authenticated 10 warrant
/ Tia smallest doubt of the perfect accu,
Eacy o. e description given "
! W 10 The present hour, however, tht
| PrepOnderatiHg weight OF scientific au,
! thoTItY Ii PROFESSIONALLY on the slde Q
| those who declare that spontaneous aIco
hollc combustion OF the body is a mytE
and an imPossibility. Since Lockyer'
discovery OF the hydrogen atom-soul
! however, no one will be likely to call il
question the great fact OF spontaneou
combustion. Psychologists will hence
forth eudgel their brains IN a probabl,
vain attempt to account for the very
small percentage or GENERATING cslami
Liea OF the spontaneous kind. The fac
that any man who takes a cocktail il
the morning and lights cigar a tarwarC
persists IN not burning down TO the shoe
soles on the instant, is little short O
miraculous. As for the hummer of tn,
bucket-shop, with his purple-pimp leC
nose, it Is amasing that he does not blow
up like Mississippi steamboat.
When lecturipg in this city Prof
TyDdall urged upon bis audience the i'm
POrtance of using the imagination il
scientific investigation. Surely neve
was such an opportunity offered for it
pictorial powers OF visualiEing the iuvis
fible as in this One-element one forcl
theory-the loves, the Girtations, tn,
practical jokes and the hates of tn,
hydrogen atoms in their attractions anC
repulsiOns. The thieves who robbed tn,
Manhattan savings institution, the res
Urrectionists who stole Stewards body
the nan who stabbed Alderman Morris
and the murdeTers o. Nathan and Rogers
retributive justice OF enraged and out
ragged atom souls OF hydrogen TnOs-
mysterious dissppesrances which tn
newspapers are all the time chrOnicinj
can more than likely be explained on tn
same ail-comPrehensive theory. Th
translation OF z ijah and the chariot O
fire was evidently remarkable instanc
OF spontaneous combustion, msgnif=t
nv the active Oriental magma ion
When Bishop Barclay said there was r.
matter he eDuuciated profound truth
Ali flesh is not grass. The atom soul
all. Forty rod whisky, the beef we eat
the oysters we bolt, the rose Leaf chez
beauty, the SOW IN the gutter and Tn
mud with which she annOints herself ar
only varied forms O. PrOtean hydrogen
In point OF fact the concluding verse r
MOntg mery's fine poem, the Comm
l LIT" shuu d BIZ amended SO as to read
Tue annals OF the human race.
% Thtit Uin sIbee tue q began,
A # Irdst Otu.T wing sce
Than that of atom hy drJseu.
As for that far off divine event" t
which TENNIS N tys he whole creatio
moves, IL unque.t Onably paints 20 thu
eliminating Combustion OF hydrogen I
which the Bible 70 ers when it dee are
tho no. yys-v1. sb,4II ..Ir