Care must be used, however, that none touches the hands or lips.

It can be chewed, and apparently swallowed, but removed in the handkerchief while wiping the lips.
The above is the method practiced by all the Fire-Eaters, and absolutely no preparation is necessary except that the tongue must be well moistened with saliva.
Barnello once said, "A person wishing to become a Fire-Eater must make up his or her mind to suffer a little at first from burns, as there is no one who works at the business but that gets burns either from carelessness or from accident." This is verified by the following, which I clip from the London Globe of August 11th, 1880: Accident to a Fire-Eater.

A correspondent telegraphs: A terrible scene was witnessed in the market place, Leighton Buzzard, yesterday.
A travelling Negro fire eater was performing on a stand, licking red-hot iron, bending heated pokers with his naked foot, burning tow in his mouth, and the like.

At last he filled his mouth with benzolene, saying that he would burn it as he allowed it to escape.

He had no sooner applied a lighted match to his lips than the whole mouthful of spirit took fire and before it was consumed the man was burned in a frightful manner, the blazing spirit running all over his face, neck and chest as he dashed from his stand and raced about like a madman among the assembled crowd, tearing his clothing from him and howling in most intense agony.