La combustión humana “espontánea” y la medicalización del alcoholismo en las Islas Británicas entre los siglos XVIII y XIX
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/asclepio.2024.02Palabras clave:
Combustión humana espontánea, Alcoholismo, Templanza, Islas Británicas, Condesa de GörlitzResumen
Entre mediados del siglo XVIII y finales del siglo XIX numerosos científicos europeos trataron de esclarecer el misterio de la llamada combustión humana “espontánea”. La creencia en el fenómeno se sustentaba en un conjunto reducido de historias en las que una víctima -casi siempre una mujer de edad avanzada y sospechosa de alcoholismo- habría aparecido carbonizada sin causa aparente. Mientras químicos y fisiólogos especulaban sobre los procesos bioquímicos que podrían convertir al cuerpo humano en “preternaturalmente” combustible, la Medicina, influida por los movimientos de templanza especialmente en las Islas Británicas, se centraba en la supuesta conexión entre combustión espontánea y ebriedad habitual. La combustión se convertía así en una fábula de templanza concebida para prevenir al ebrio de las terribles consecuencias de su vicio. A lo largo del siglo XIX, sin embargo, el fenómeno fue perdiendo credibilidad entre los científicos, mientras se abría paso el “concepto de enfermedad” en el tratamiento del alcoholismo. Desde mediados del siglo XX la combustión espontánea ha quedado casi exclusivamente relegada al ámbito de lo paranormal.
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