Harry Houdini exposes the tricks that astonish folks in this book that he himself authored. This is a book on how common psychology,
special effects and trickery can create miracles for audiences.
The author tries to explain that there may be nothing supernatural in magic but only science and illusion. He refers to miracle mongers
are mere mortal men without any supernatural powers but have the knowledge of how to create illusions and wow audiences.
Readers will find interesting tricks and objects used to create illusions.
Definitely a must-read book for magicians and anyone engaged in entertainment business!
CONTENTS
I. Fire worship. — Fire eating and heat resistance. — The
Middle Ages. — Among the Navajo Indians. — Fire-
walkers of Japan. — The Fiery Ordeal of Fiji 1
II. Watton's Ship-swabber from the Indies. — Richard-
son, 1667.--De Heiterkeit, 1713.— Robert Powell,
1718-1780.— Dufour, 1783.— Quackensalber, 1794. 17
in. The nineteenth century. — A "Wonderful Phenom-
enon." — "The Incombustible Spaniard, Sefior
lionetto," 1803. — Josephine Girardelli, 1814. — John
Brooks, 1817.— W. C. Houghton, 1832.— J. A. B,
Chylinski, 1841. — Chamouni, the Russian Sala-
mander, 1869.— Professor Rel Maeub, 1876.—
Rivem;(died 1900) 37
IV.— The Master— Chabert, 1792-1859 64
V. Fire-eating magicians: Ching ling Foo and Chung
ling Soo. — Fire-eaters employed by magicians:
Tlie Man-Salamander, 1816. — Mr. Carlton, Pro-
fessor of Chemistry, 1818. — Miss Cassillis, aged
mne, 1820. The African Wonder, 1843.— ling
Look and Yamadeva die in China during EeUar's
world tour, 1877.— ling Look's double, 1879.— Elec-
trical effects. The Salambos. — Bueno Core. — Del
Eano. — Bamello. — Edwin Forrest as a heat-resister
—The Elder Sothem as a fire-eater.— The Twilight
of the Art 79
VI. The Arcana of the fire-eaters: The formula of
Albertus Magnus. — Of Hocus Pocus. — Richardson's
method. — Philopyraphagus Ashbumiensis. — To
breathe forth sparks, smoke and flames. — To spout
natural gas. — Professor Sementini's discoveries. —
To bite off red-hot iron.— To cook in a burning cage.
— Chabert's oven. — To eat coals of fire. — To drink
burning oil. — To chew molten lead. — To chew
burning brimstone. — To wreathe the face in flames.
— To ignite paper with the breath. — To drink boil-
ing liquor and tot flaming wax 9
VII. The spheroidal condition of liquids. — Why the hand
may be dipped in molten metals. — Principles of heat
resistance put to practical uses: Aldini, 1829. — In
early fire-fighting. — Temperatures the body can
endure 121
Vlll. Sword-swallowers: Cliquot, Delno Fritz, Deodota, a
razor-swallower, an umbrella-swallower, William
Dempster, John Cumming, Edith Clifford, Vio-
torina. 187
IX. Stone-eaters: A Silesian in Prague, 1006; Francois
Battalia, ca. 1641; Platerus' bear boy; Father
Paulian's lithophagus of Avignon, 1760; "The
Only One in the World," London, 1788; Spaniards
in London, 1790; a secret for two and six; Japa-
nese training. — Frog-swallowers: Norton; Eng-
lish Jack; Bosco; the snake-eater; Billington's
prescription for hangmen; Captain Veitro. — Water-
spouters; Blaise Manfrede, ca. 1650; Floran Mar-
chand, 1650 164
X. Defiers of poisonous reptiles: Thardo; Mrs. Learn,
dealer in rattle-snakes. — Sir Arthur Thurlow
Cunjmghame on antidotes for snake-bite. — Jack
CONTENTS zi
VAGB
the Viper.— WnHam Oliver, 1735.— Tbe advice of
Gomdiiis Heinrich Agrippa, (1480-1535). — An
Australian snake story. — Antidotes for various
poisons 176
XI Strongmen of the eighteenth century: Thomas Top-
ham (died, 1749); Joyce, 1703; Van Eskeberg,
1718; Baisabas and his sister; The Italian Female
Sampson, 1724; The ''little woman from Geneva,"
1751; Bdaoni, 1778-1823 192
XII. Contemporary strong people: Charles Jefferson;
Louis Cyr; John Grun Marx; William Le Roy. —
The Nail King, The Human Claw-hammer; Alex-
ander Weyer; Mexican Billy Wells; A foolhardy
Italian; Wilson; Herman; Sampson; Sandow;
Yucca; La Blanche; Lulu Hurst. — The Georgia
Magnet, The Electric Girl, etc.; Annie Abbot;
Miattie Lee Price.— The Twilight of the Freaks.—
The dime museums. 220
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS