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I have a singular phenomenon in the shape of a young man living here, that I have studied with much interest, and I am satisfied that his peculiar power demonstrates that electricity is the nerve force beyond dispute. His name is Wm. Underwood, aged 27 years, and his gift is that of generating fire
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through the medium of his breath, assisted by manipulations with his hands. He will take anybody's handkerchief, and hold it to his mouth, and rub it vigorously with his hands while breathing on it, and immediately it bursts into flames and burns until consumed.
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has written that
Underwood may have used a "chemical-combustion technique, and still other means. Whatever the exact method—and the phosphorus trick might be the most likely—the possibilities of deception far outweigh any occult powers hinted at by
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in his mouth, then spit it out into a handkerchief. The heat from his breath and rubbing his hands together would ignite the phosphorus, which burns in air at about 30 °C (86 °F). Skeptical investigator
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on Mr. Underwood's abilities, proclaiming them a genuine phenomenon. His story became a topic of discussion in many medical and scientific journals of the day, including
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A century later, the tale of Mr. Underwood was brought to the public eye again as the subject of a 1974 song by musician
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16:"The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch" redirects here. For the Brian Eno song, see
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of
Underwood, whose purported abilities had made him a local celebrity:
64:. Skeptics later suggested that Underwood would hide a small piece of
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In
January 1882, Dr. L. C. Woodman of Paw Paw wrote in the
166:. New York: David McKay Company, Inc. pp. 173-174.
54:Woodman claimed to have performed comprehensive
180:The Mystery Chronicles: More Real-Life X-Files
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182:. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 56-60.
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199:Eno, Brian; Mills, Russell (1986).
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117:American Observer Medical Monthly
111:Woodman, L. C. (January 1882).
34:purported in his time to have
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241:People from Paw Paw, Michigan
203:. London: Faber & Faber.
164:Mysterious Fires and Lights
137:Thomas, R. (January 1883).
26:(born c. 1855) was a young
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139:"Spontaneous Combustion"
88:Here Come the Warm Jets
18:Here Come the Warm Jets
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43:Michigan Medical News
201:More Dark Than Shark
24:A. William Underwood
61:Scientific American
113:"A Breath of Fire"
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178:. (2004).
162:. (1967).
95:References
66:phosphorus
83:Brian Eno
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