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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 ofa 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. 
