You never hear much about 'spontaneous combustion ' anymore, where people just burst into flames while sitting in their chair

Maybe cause there"s less smokers and drinkers that was thought to be a factor. I remember seeing photos of scorched chairs which was all that remained from latest casualty who'd been reduced to ashes while watching tv

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AngelUnforgiven · 51-55, F

Truthfully I thought long and hard about this and back then people used really combustible liquids as medicine and that's why I believe a lot of them burned from the inside out. While smoking a cigarette . For instance in 1932 Ebenezer McBurney Byers jaw fell off he had cancer and was taking Radithor, a radioactive patent medicine containing radium. They use to drink all kinds of dangerous stuff

atlantic59 · 61-69, M

@AngelUnforgiven I really can believe that theory. Cause yes they were ignited from within

atlantic59 · 61-69, M

@AngelUnforgiven I imagine the second bright side from the initial illumination would be the saved cremation fees for the family but that sounds insensitive

AngelUnforgiven · 51-55, F

@atlantic59 these are human beings we are referring to so yes it's very insensitive. How would you like if someone joked about one of your loved one's deaths smh

atlantic59 · 61-69, M

@AngelUnforgiven you're right. But my best friend would definitely say that about me and then apologize after while the others still laughed

NativePortlander1970 ·

@AngelUnforgiven I'm sorry, it touched me off with an unexpected chuckle.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@atlantic59 No.

Many people, like Byers, suffered terribly from radium-based medicines until the danger was realised; but that damage was due to the radioactivity. Not burning.

A body cannot ignite itself, externally or internally, either, even with medicines dissolved in an inflammable liquid like alcohol.

HootyTheNightOwl

@ArishMell Knowing what we know about radiation now... are radiation burns not still burns???

What about chemical burns, then???

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@HootyTheNightOwl They are called "burns" yes, in the sense of destroyed tissue, but they are not burns in the real sense of caused by heat. So nothing to do with the spontaneous combustion myth.

AngelUnforgiven · 51-55, F

@ArishMell I know that, I just used radium as an example of a dangerous chemical I'm not saying it's what caused it.