Science versus Miracle: Licking a red-hot poker

B. Premanand

The oracle licks a red-hot poker or iron rod until it is cold. While talking to the District Education Officers in Delhi, one of them from Gharwal district told me he had seen an oracle, possessed by the deity, licking a red-hot poker until it was cold. He wondered how a person could lick red-hot iron unless he had supernatural powers.

Experiment: 139

Effect: Licking a red-hot poker.

Props:  Liquid storax and red-hot poker.

Method: Anoint your tongue and lips with liquid storax. This makes the tongue immune to heat. Lick until it is cold. Later, wash your mouth thoroughly to prevent any effect from the balsam.

The following paragraph is from the book Fire Magic written by Clettis V. Musson:

In  this effect, a poker or rod of iron is heated until red hot. The fire eater licks the red hott metal with his tongue until it is cold.

The tongue must be anointed with liquid storax, a chemical purchasable at drug stores. This makes the tongue immune to heat. The lips may be anointed also, so that even a careless handling of the poker will not affect them.  After each performance, mouth and lips must be cleansed thoroughly of the chemical to prevent any after effects.  This method of rendering yourself immune to heat may also be used in placing any other hot objects in the mouth such as burning wood dipped in brimstone powder, molten metal, lighted matches, etc.

 

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