produced by the Ufe of Spirituous Liquors. 143 



maffes, during the moment of intoxication, Ihould expe- 

 rience the effefts of combuftion. 



Perhaps we have no occafion to go very far to fearch for 

 the caufe of thefe combuftions. The fire of the woodea 

 ftove, the chimney, or of the candle, might have been com- 

 municated 10 the clothes, and might have in this manner 

 burnt the perfons above mentioned, on account of the pecu- 

 liar difpofitioa of their bodies, Mafiei obferves that the 

 Countefs of Cefena was accuftomed to bathe her whole 

 body with fpirit of wine. The vicinity of the candle and 

 lamp, which were found near the remains of her body, oc- 

 cafioned, without doubt, the combuftion. This accident re- 

 minds us of that which happened to Charles II. kmg of 

 Navarre. This prince, being addifted to drunkennefs and 

 excefles of every kind, had caufed himfelf to be wrapped up 

 in cloths dipped in fpirits, in order to revive the natural heat 

 of his body which had been weakened by debauchery ; but 

 the cloths caught fire while his attendants were faftening 

 them, and he periihed a viftim to his imprudence. 



Befides accidental combuftion, it remains for us to exa- 

 mine whether fpontaneous combuftion of the human body- 

 can take place, as afferted by Le Cat. Spontaneous com- 

 buftion is the burning of the human body without the con- 

 taft of any fabftance in a ftate of ignition. Nature, indeed, 

 affords feveral inftances of fpontaneous combuftion in the 

 mineral and vegetable kingdoms. The decompofition of py- 

 rites, and the fubterranean procefTes which are carried on. 

 in volcanoes, aff"ord proofs of it. Coal-mines may readily 

 take fire fpontaneouflv ; and this has been found to be the 

 cafe with heaps of coals depofited in clofe places. It is by a 

 fermentation of this kind that dunghills fometimes become 

 hot, and take fire. This may ferve alfo to explain why trufles 

 of hay, carried home during moift weather, and piled up oa 

 each other, fometimes take fire. But, can fpontaneous com- 

 buftion take place in the human body ? If fome authors are 

 to be credited *, very violent combuftion may be produced in 

 our bodies by nature and by artificial procefl'es. Sturmiusf 

 (ays that in the northern countries flames often burft from 



• German Ephemcirides, Obferv. 77. t ^^^^- Tenth year, i> 55. 



