Spontaneous Human Combustion or SHC
An odd phenomenon in which people burn for no apparent reason. Cases of spontaneous human combustion have been documented since the 1400s. The classic profile of the victim is an overweight, older, single, alcoholic woman, who is a smoker. Usually only a small pile of ashes remains with one or two extremities, such as a leg from the knee down. If the head remains it may be "shrunken" down to the size of an orange. There is usually no odor or a sweet odor. The air usually is thick with smoke or soot. The flame from the body is generally blue, but is occasionally yellow. The victim usually burns in a confined space, such as a bathroom with the door closed. Oddly, often objects even a short distance from the victim are unharmed by fire. However, fuel such as wax or oil near the victim vanishes. Survivors of spontaneous human combustion will ordinarily report no pain.
While there is a "classic profile," each case is unique and usually varies from the profile in some regard. In 1938, Mrs. Mary Carpenter "burst into flames and was reduced to ashes" while on a boat with her husband and children. In 1835, Professor James Hamilton smothered a strong flame emanating from his left leg, and survived SHC. In 1851, a Parisian painter swallowed a lighted candle and was slowly reduced to ashes in front of helpless onlookers. In 1922, Mrs. Euphemia Johnson was found with her calcinated bones lying in her undamaged clothes.
Several factors make scientific study of the phenomena difficult. The rarity of SHC makes getting sufficient data for a study difficult. The rarity also makes most medical researchers reluctant to invest time in studying such an "offbeat" phenomenon. Finally, the variance in each case makes pinpointing a diagnosis difficult.
However, the "offbeat" nature of the phenomenon has made SHC interesting to some extremely notable writers. Herman Melville, Charles Dickens, and Arthur C. Clarke all mentioned SHC in their works. Arthur C. Clarke said of SHC "There's one mystery I'm asked about more than any other -- spontaneous human combustion. Some cases still seem to defy explanation and leave me with a creepy and very unscientific feeling. If there's anything more to spontaneous human combustion, I simply don't want to know."
Charles Dickens was fascinated by the 1763 case of Contessa Cornelia di Bandi. The Contessa was reduced to ashes in her bedchamber, leaving only stumps of her legs intact. Two candles near to the Contessa "stood upright upon a table, the cotton wick of both the candles was left, and the tallow of both had disappeared."
Dickens uses SHC in his 1853 novel "Bleak House" as a means to kill a character named Mr Krook in chapter 33 titled "Interlopers". Following is an excerpt: "Now do they set forth how it will doubtless be remembered, that some time back a painful sensation was created in the public mind, by a case of mysterious death from opium occurring in the first floor of the house occupied as a rag, bottle, and general marine store-shop, by an eccentric individual of intemperate habits, far advanced in life, named Krook; and how, by a remarkable coincidence, Krook was examined at the inquest, which it may be recollected was held on that occasion at the Sol's Arms, a well-conducted tavern, immediately adjoining the premises in question, on the west side, and licensed to a highly respectable landlord, Mr James George Bogsby. Now do they show (in as many words as possible), how during some hours of yesterday evening a very peculiar smell was observed by the inhabitants of the court, in which the tragical occurrence which forms the subject of that present account transpired;"
Where does the flame that lights these people on fire come from? Skeptics theorize that people ignite with a cigarette or electrical shock, and their fat then burns slowly like a candle. Others insist that the ignition comes from within the victim, not an external source. Some say spirits, poltergeists, or demons are to blame. One intriguing theory comes from Livingston Gearhart who suggests that geomagnetic activity is responsible for SHC. Mr. Gearhart plotted geomagnetic energy against verified SHC deaths. Very high levels of geomagnetic energy were present in the days before every case of spontaneous human combustion investigated.
Perhaps more than one of these diverse theories is correct. Different causes may be responsible for SHC at different times. Different causes may also be combining in various ways to cause SHC. The variety of occurrences of spontaneous human combustion supports the possibility that multiple hypothesis may be valid.
