Spontaneous Human Combustion
...A. Larry E. Arnold
1. Radical in support of SHC
2. Ablaze! The Mysterious Fires of Spontaneous Human Combustion
B. Others believe the same as Arnold
C. Many other books and articles written about SHC
III. Cases
A. Dr. John Irving Bentley
B. Jean Lucille Saffin
C. Robert Francis Bailey
IV. Skeptics against Spontaneous Human Combustion
A. Joe Nickell
B. Skeptical Inquirer
V. Case against ruling Dr. John Irving Bentley as a SHC victim
VI. Conclusion
The Mystery of the "Human Fire Ball"
"Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC) is the phenomenon and process whereby a person burns in the absence of a known, conventional external source of fire" (Arnold 13). SHC is a myth that was first discussed in the early eighteenth century. SHC usually involves "nearly total reduction of the person to ashes"; however, nearby combustible materials are often left unburned (Arnold 13). As noted in Unexplained: MysteriesÂ… the flames a person who suffers from SHC are "of such ferocity" (24) and it is amazing at how it strikes with "sheer speed" (46). Although controversial, Spontaneous Human Combustion, the process of bursting into flame without exterior ignition, has been a topic of interest for over two centuries with as many skeptics as believers.
Larry E. Arnold, a radical in support of SHC, wrote Ablaze! The Mysterious Fires of Spontaneous Human Combustion, a book with multiple cases of what appears to be SHC. In his book, it is apparent that he believes SHC is a real life experience that can strike at any time. There are many other people who believe the same as Arnold and have written similar books and articles to explain the details of such events of SHC. In such books and articles, the stories are told, and the myths begin to unfold, and details often left out in police reports are shared.
Dr. John Irving Bentley was a...
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