The next most famous instance happened at Rheims six years earlier, and the historian in that case is Le Cat, one of the most renowned surgeons produced by France.

The subject was a woman, whose husband was ignorantly convicted of having murdered her; but on solemn appeal to a higher court, he was acquitted because it was shown upon the evidence that she had died the death of which this name of spontaneous combustion is given.

I do not think it necessary to add to these notable facts, and that general reference to the authorities which will be found at page 30, vol.ii.,* the recorded opinions and experiences of distinguished medical professors, French, English, and Scotch, in more modern days, contenting myself with observing that I shall not abandon the facts until there shall have been a considerable spontaneous combustion of the testimony on which human occurrences are usually received.** In Bleak House I have purposely dwelt upon the romantic side of familiar things.
1853 *Transcriber's note.

This referred to a specific page in the printed book.

In this Project Gutenberg edition the pertinent information is in Chapter XXX, paragraph 90.
** Another case, very clearly described by a dentist, occurred at the town of Columbus, in the United States of America, quite recently.