162 PHOSPHORESCENCE IN 



peculiar snapping noise accompanies this light, 

 which is owing simply to the production of a 

 quantity of electric sparks. Similar instances of 

 spontaneous production of light have been observed 

 on combing a woman's hair, provided it be very 

 dry, and the atmosphere devoid of moisture.* 



Bartholin gives an account of a lady in Italy, 

 whom he designates as ' ' mulier splendens" whose 

 body shone with phosphoric radiations when slightly 

 rubbed with a piece of dry linen. 



A phenomenon, which might perhaps be termed 

 subjective phosphorescence, occurs when injuries are 

 received by the eye or the optic nerve (fig. 29). 



Fig. 29.t 



Thus, when the head has been held down for some 

 moments, sparks are often seen before the eyes 

 on resuming an upright position. These sparks 



* I have observed this frequently, but generally when a south- 

 west wind is blowing, and the atmosphere highly electrical. 



f Fig. 29, the human eye, showing the different membranes 

 and the optic nerve. 



