THE MYSTERY OF FIRE-WALKING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 102, 1 May 1937, Page 27

THE MYSTERY OF FIRE-WALKING

■The University of London: Council for Psychical Investigation spent yesterday trying once again to solve the mystery of the fire-walker's immunity from burning (said "The Times" of April 8). They watched a professional fire-walker walk barefooted over the hot embers by himself and then, with three volunteers, and they watched two other volunteers do the same. The bare feet of the, professional firewalker were uninjured, but the feet of all five amateurs suffered, in varying degrees,: from slight burning.

'~ The experiments were held —as in 1935—in the grounds of , a house at Carshalton, Surrey. The professional fire-walker this time was Ahmed Hussain, aged 23, a. Moslem from Cawnpore, whose father and, grandfather were also fire-walkers. Hussain, unlike Kuda Bux, in the 1935 experiments, claims that he can take amateurs over the- hot embers with. complete immunity from injury, but yesterday's demonstration hardly substantiates that .claim. .. . ■ ; .'

The pit in which the fire was made at Carshalton was 12ft 6in long, sft wide, and 15in deep. The fire contained the burning1 ashes of about.four tons of oak logs with a,top.layer of Eorest charcoal. . The only i stipulation made by Hussain was the usual .one that there should be no impurity such as cow dung: in the fire. At the time of the experiments the temperature of the fire was 575deg Centigrade on the surface and 700deg Centigrade below.

i Before entering the fire Ahmed Hussain had his feet washed by two nurses and examined by Professor Pannett, who was in charge of the medical ar-

rangements, and who stated that Hussain had a quite normal foot. The temperature of his foot was then 74deg Fahrenheit, .which is rather lower than normal. A small piece of zinc oxide plaster was attached to the. sole of one foot.

Ahmed Hussain then stood at one end of the pit and muttered a prayer, holding his hands in front of him, palms upwards. He then covered his face with his hands, and after wiping his face with his hands as he lowered them he strode through the fire in three calm paces. ' It took just IJsec. Professor Pannett immediately examined Hussain'sfeet, and Stated that they bore not the slightest sign of burning. Their temperature was about 66deg Fahrenheit, or eight degrees lower than before he walked through the fire. The plaster on the foot had remained unchanged.

Twenty minutes later the second experiment was. carried out, and Ahmed Hussain .repeated his fire-walk with three volunteers behind him. The first volunteer held.his belt, while the second volunteer held the hand of the first volunteer, and the third the hand of the second. Hussain prayed as before, and stepped through the fire, his volunteers following. The time' taken was again ljsec. Hussain's feet were again completely uninjured, but those of the volunteers showed traces of blistering.

For the final experiment two other volunteers, walked throuph the fire unaccompanied by Ahmed Hussain. Their feet were affected.

Yesterday's demonstration will be repeated and Ahmed Hussain has consented to the pit being lengthened to 20ft. . '