Science

Glowing ghoul or chemical tool? The toxic chemistry behind Victorian séances

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 26/10/2026, 22:55:25 UTC.

Briefings

In November 1857, Jersey City medium Leah Brown reported luminous particles from her body during a séance that nearly burned her hands. She rinsed her hands under a tap and then pushed them into the damp earth outside. The evidence is limited to a single memoir account from 1857 without corroborating scientific or historical records.

Key points

• Leah Brown, a Jersey City medium, claimed her body produced luminous particles during a séance in November 1857 that nearly burned her hands.

Context

This incident occurred during a Victorian-era séance in Jersey City, New Jersey, where mediums reported supernatural phenomena. The specific event involving Leah Brown remains an isolated anecdote in the broader history of mediumship, with no additional context or corroborating evidence provided.

Limitations

The evidence consists solely of a single memoir account from 1857. No other records, scientific analyses, or historical data are available to verify the nature of the luminous particles or the medium's account.

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