Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

This unusual story was reported in the “Millom Mail,” September 15, 1934:

Venice, Saturday. The "luminous woman of Pirano" who has puzzled scientists in Italy by emitting a glow of light from her chest as she sleeps, has been the subject of a report to the International Radiobiological Congress, which concludes here to-day. The woman is Anna Monaro, aged 42, who was in hospital at Pirano early this year suffering from asthma and under-nutrition. Night nurses insisted that on several occasions they saw a glow over her chest during the night.

The National Council of Research, of which Senator Marconi is president, requested Professor Fabio Vitali, a Venice doctor, to make an official investigation. After taking all steps to ensure that there was no imposture, Professor Vitali and several other doctors waited up one night in the ward. A cinematographic camera was rigged up beside the bed.

The professor's report says:-”At 10.35 p.m., without any sound, there suddenly appeared a glow of bluish-white light, which appeared to come from the patient's chest and lit up her neck and face in such a way as to show up her features. But the light threw no shadow on the pillow or the wall behind. At the same time, the woman stirred uneasily in her sleep and moaned, 'O Jesus help me.'” The phenomenon lasted for only a second, during which time a photograph was taken. But when the photograph was developed it showed nothing.

The patient was awakened, but apart from a quick pulse and a hot skin nothing abnormal was observed about her. All who saw the phenomenon were convinced that it was absolutely real. Anna Monaro was taken to Rome for further examination, but the phenomenon was not seen again. She is being kept under constant observation.

Although the case attracted international attention, as far as I can find, no logical explanation for the poor woman’s odd condition was ever found.