Ihe theory of spontaneous combustion
of the human body in former times was
held by almost, every expert. French
scientists, in particular, supported it, and
several of them published pamphlets in
which numerous cases of aliened sponta
neous combustion of the human body
were described at length, but there are
tnree very significant points to be noticed
in connection with such reports. One is
the invariable admission that there was a
litfht fire in the room where the catastro
phe occurred; another, that the alleged
instances always happened in families
composed of ignorant persons, and another,
that in no case was there any actual wit
ness of tue occurrence.
Something like 76 per cent, of the hu
man body consists of water, says Pearson’s
Monthly; this fact in itself is sufficient to
discredit any of the alleged instances of
spontaneous combustion. It is just con
cfivable that persons who drink an enor
mous amount of spirituous liquors may
become so saturated, as it were, with this
inflammable material that their budies
burn much more easily than would those
of people who do not over-indulge in this
vyay, but it is perfectly certain that the
Ihe would have to be applied from with
out, for no such thing as spontaneous
combustion could be possible i*> any arti
cle containing so great a preponderance
of the liquid element as does the human
body.
A GIGANTIC BUZZ SAW.
It Hill Cut Steel Armor-Platen as if They
Hero Pint) Log*.
