The death of Daniel Dunglas Home

Medium Daniel Dunglas Home died at Auteuil, France, on 21 June 1886, aged 53, after years of tuberculosis.

Daniel Dunglas Home died on 21 June 1886 at Auteuil, France, according to the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. Wikipedia adds that he was 53, had retired because of ill health, and was suffering from tuberculosis, which he had had for much of his life. It says he told people his powers were failing. He was laid to rest at St. Germain-en-Laye, in the Russian cemetery there.

Home was known as a medium. The Psi Encyclopedia of the Society for Psychical Research lists elongations among the phenomena reported of him: the medium's body lengthening, by amounts from a few inches to over a foot. Britannica records that Sir William Crookes, after a series of experiments with Home, declared them thoroughly genuine, and that Professor von Boutlerow, who belonged to the Russian Academy of Science, gave the same opinion after watching a similar series. Britannica also says that in 1871 Home gave a demonstration before the Russian tsar and two scientists from Russia, who attested the phenomena.

Home published two books and married two Russian women in turn. In 1866 a widow, Mrs Lyon, adopted him and settled a large sum on him. She later sued to recover it, arguing that spiritual influence had obtained the gift. The court decided against Home.