A BREATH OF FIRE.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4457, 18 April 1883, Page 2

A BREATH OF FIRE.

Dt L. C. Woodman, of Paw Paw, Mich., contributes the following interest* ing though incredible observation : I have a singular phenomenon ia the shape of a young man living here, that I have studied with much interest, and am satisfied that his peculiar power demonstrates that electricity is the nerve force beyond dispute. His nam- is Wm. TTnderwood t aged 27 years, and his gift is that of generating fire through the medium of his breath, assisted by manipulations with his hands. He will take anybody's handkerchief, and bold it to his mouth, rub it vigorously with his hands while breathing on it, and immediately it bursts into flames and burns until consumed. He will strip and rinse out hijs mouth thoroughly," wash his hands, and submit to the most rigid examination to preclude i lie possibili y of any humbugt and then by breath blown :> upon any paper or cloth, envelop it in flame. He will, wben out gunning; and without matches, desiroui of a fire, lie down after collecting dry leaves, and by breathing on them start the fire and then coolly take off his wet stockings and dry them. It is impossible to persuade him to do it more than,twice in a day, and the effort is attendant with the most extreme ; exhaustion. He will sink in a chair after doingit,and on one occasion, after he had a newspaper on fire-as narrated, I nltced my hand on his head and discovered his scalp to be violently twitching as if underintense excitement. He will do it any time, no matter where he is, under any circumstances, and I have repeatedly known of his sitting back from the dinner -< : . table, taking a swallow of water, and by blowing on his napkin, at once set it on fire. He is ignorant and says that he first discovered his strange power by in- .■: haling and* exhaling on a perfumed hand* kerchief that suddenly burned while in his hands. It is certainly no humbug, but what is it P Does physiology give a like instance, and if so, where ?—MichU gan Medical News. ,