8^1 



her family, at a time when there was no candle in the room, 

 no moon, nor in fact any visible means of producing light. 

 The evening before the death of this young lady, the light 

 was again seen, but it was less brilliant, and lasted only 

 about twenty minutes. 



Phenomena of the same kind were observed around the 

 person of a man, who died of a lingering disease, in a remote 

 part of the south west of Ireland : and a similar case is said 

 to have been witnessed in Hull. 



Sir H. Marsh then related the case of a woman, in the 

 old Meath Hospital, who laboured under an enormous can- 

 cerous ulcer of the breast ; from the surface and edges of 

 the sore a quantity of fluid was constantly poured out, which 

 became so luminous at night, as to be distinctly visible at a 

 distance of more than twenty feet from her bed. 



He suggested a comparison between the condition of a 

 diseased part emitting light, and that state of the whole 

 frame which characterizes the disease termed " spontaneous 

 combustion ;" and mentioned that in one case of spontaneous 

 combustion, a lambent flame was distinctly seen to issue 

 from the burning body. A strong analogy doubtless exists 

 between this state of the living body, and the early state of 

 decomposition, during which light is emitted. 



He then detailed an experiment first performed by 

 Magendie. Phosphorated oil was injected into the crural 

 vein of a dog, when immediately its expirations became 

 luminous, and continued so until the death of the animal. 



The author concluded by remarking that the results of 

 this experiment, and the ascertained presence of phosphorus 

 in vegetables and animals, would lead to the opinion, that in 

 some, at least, of the instances of luminous appearances 

 referred to, phosphorus formed an element in the production 

 of the effect. 



