Scientists in this city consulted for the Record agree that,
while rare, spontaneous human combustion is an established fact
and that everything in this curious case goes to show that
another has been added to the already well-authenticated list of
cases recorded in America and Europe. The family refuse to be
interviewed, which seems to indicate that the rumours in medical
circles in Saranac have a solid basis of fact.
Then followed a circumstantial account of the life of Langley and
the events leading up to the discovery of the body--fairly
accurate in itself, but highly coloured.
"The Record man must have made good use of his time here," I
commented, as I finished reading the despatch. "And--well, they
must have done some hard work in New York to get this story up so
completely--see, after the despatch follow a lot of interviews,
and here is a short article on spontaneous combustion itself."
Harrington and the rest of the family had just come in.
"What's this we hear about the Record having an article?"
Harrington asked. "Read it aloud, Professor, so we can all hear
it."
"'Spontaneous human combustion, or catacausis ebriosus,'" began
Craig, "'is one of the baffling human scientific mysteries.
Indeed, there can be no doubt but that individuals have in some
strange and inexplicable manner caught fire and been partially or
almost wholly consumed.
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