Charles Dickens’ belief in spontaneous combustion sparked Victorian London’s hottest debate

Excerpt: Caesar’s Last Breath.

The following is an excerpt from CAESAR’S LAST BREATH: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us by Sam Kean.

Midnight finally struck, and they descended the stairs. Walking through Mr. Krook’s shop — crammed with rags, bottles, bones, and other trash — was unpleasant …

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