Spontaneous human combustion
THE MICROSCOPE
•
Vol. 60:2, pp 63–72 (2012)
C R I T I C A L FOCUS
Brian J. Ford
Solving the Mystery of Spontaneous Human Combustion
L
human combustion (SHC) ast November, a 42has been well docuyear-old man was In a matter of minutes, people have mented, and television has standing outside a record sought to demonstrate an store in Sweden, appar- burst into flames and were completely answer. But in the scienently waiting for someone. destroyed. All that remained was a heap tific world, there are many
Suddenly fire appeared of ash from which the legs protruded. who insist that SHC does from his clothing and he not exist. As long ago as burst into flames. He
1861, J.L. Casper wrote in blazed from within and his Handbook of the Practice formed into a fireball as he of Forensic Medicine that fell to the ground. The man, spontaneous human comwho remains anonymous, bustion was “a myth.” In narrowly escaped with
Forensic Pathology: Principles his life. It was an astonishand Practice published in ing and ghoulish episode
2005 by Academic Press,
— but it wasn’t the first.
David Dolinak and his colThere have been a number leagues similarly state of reports of people catchthat “spontaneous human ing fire, and most of them combustion does not exare almost completely deist,” and the same words stroyed in the conflagraappear in the National Fire tion. In the space of min- The charred body of Madame Ginette Kazmierczak was discovAssociation’s presentautes, people have been con- ered in her apartment in Uruffe, France, on May 12, 1977. All that tion, “Fire Investigator.” sumed by fire, and all that remained were her legs, and they (like the furnishings nearby)
Dr. Floyd Clemens, remains is a heap of ash were virtually unscathed. The coroner concluded that the case the coroner who examfrom which the legs pro- seemed to be one of spontaneous human combustion. ined the death in 1885 of trude. It is a horrifying
Mrs. Pat
•
Vol. 60:2, pp 63–72 (2012)
C R I T I C A L FOCUS
Brian J. Ford
Solving the Mystery of Spontaneous Human Combustion
L
human combustion (SHC) ast November, a 42has been well docuyear-old man was In a matter of minutes, people have mented, and television has standing outside a record sought to demonstrate an store in Sweden, appar- burst into flames and were completely answer. But in the scienently waiting for someone. destroyed. All that remained was a heap tific world, there are many
Suddenly fire appeared of ash from which the legs protruded. who insist that SHC does from his clothing and he not exist. As long ago as burst into flames. He
1861, J.L. Casper wrote in blazed from within and his Handbook of the Practice formed into a fireball as he of Forensic Medicine that fell to the ground. The man, spontaneous human comwho remains anonymous, bustion was “a myth.” In narrowly escaped with
Forensic Pathology: Principles his life. It was an astonishand Practice published in ing and ghoulish episode
2005 by Academic Press,
— but it wasn’t the first.
David Dolinak and his colThere have been a number leagues similarly state of reports of people catchthat “spontaneous human ing fire, and most of them combustion does not exare almost completely deist,” and the same words stroyed in the conflagraappear in the National Fire tion. In the space of min- The charred body of Madame Ginette Kazmierczak was discovAssociation’s presentautes, people have been con- ered in her apartment in Uruffe, France, on May 12, 1977. All that tion, “Fire Investigator.” sumed by fire, and all that remained were her legs, and they (like the furnishings nearby)
Dr. Floyd Clemens, remains is a heap of ash were virtually unscathed. The coroner concluded that the case the coroner who examfrom which the legs pro- seemed to be one of spontaneous human combustion. ined the death in 1885 of trude. It is a horrifying
Mrs. Pat