A BREATH OF FIRE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1377, 12 May 1883, Page 4

A BREATH OF FIRE.

: Dr L C. Woodman, of Paw '■• Paw; Mich,, contributes the following interesting though incredible observation to the Michigan Medical News: —I have a singular phenomenon in the shape of a young man" living here, that I bavo studied with much interest and I am satisfied that his peculiar power demonstrates that electricity is the nervs force beyond dispute. His; name is William Underwood, 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 hold it to his mouth, rub it vigorously with his. hands while I breathing on it, and immediately it bursts into flames and burns until consumed. He will strip, and rinse out his mouth thoroughly, wash his hands, and. submit'to the most rigid examination to preclude the possibility of any humbug, and then by his breath'blown upon any paper;or'cloth, envelop it in flame. He will, when out gunning and without matches, if desirous of a fire, lie'down after collecting dry leaves, and. by breathing on them stare the fire; and then coolly i take off his wet stockings and dry i them. It is impossible to persuade him to do it nore than twice in a day, the effort is attended with the most ! extreme exhaustion! He will sink ■ into a chair after doing it, and on one i occasion, after he had set a newspaper on fire as narrated, I placed my hand on his head, and discovered his scalp to be i violently twiching as if under intense i excitement, He will doit any time, no matter where he'is,-under any circumi stances, and I have repeatedly known i of his sitting, back : from, the dinner j table, takiug a swallow of wateiyand ; | by blowing on his napkin at once set it on fire. He is ! ignorant, and ; says' ■ that he first discovered his strange i power by inhaling and exhaling on. a | perfumed handkerchief that suddenly ; burned.while in his hands. It is certainly no humbug, but what,is iti ; Does physiology give : ,a like ■instance, ; and if so, where; 1 !; ' •'•/ ;^*