The Massachusetts Spy

A French paper contains the following remarkable case:—"A letter from Commerce, dated the 7th of April, states that the widow Hacquin, of Bar-le-Duc. aged 55 years, who lived quite easy upon the interest of her property in the Sinking Fund, died a few days since, in the most deplorable and astonishing manner. We presume that this death is a new example of the phenomenon called "spontaneous human combustion." This woman, who was corpulent, was, according to report, in the habit of using spirituous liquors imprudently. A vase standing near her, filled with burning coals, determined the inflammation of her body. She was burnt to a cinder inwardly. The extremities were not affected. The room and her clothing also escaped the fire. There are on record instances of internal combustion, but they are few, and the majority of these were occasioned by an excessive use of ardent spirit."