gSO PSAFF ON RESPIRATION. 



The differences which exifted in the refults of former ex- 

 periments, as to the quantity of carbonic acid produced in 

 the act of refpiration were lets important, and might entirely 

 depend on the conftitution of the different individuals upon 

 whom the experiments were made ; and under this point of 

 view, a revifion of the experiments was lefs neceiTary. 

 But the part which is performed by azote gas in the acl of 

 refpiration has been too little attended to. It has been 

 generally fuppofed to be altogether without activity. Goodwin 

 alone thought he had obferved a considerable abforption of 

 azote gas ; but his experiments lyere not made with all the 

 neceiTary accuracy, and were too directly oppofite to the 

 experiments of Lavoifier, Seguin, Abernethy, Fothergill, 

 Azote necefi'ary Menzies, &c. to fix the attention. The experiments on the 

 combuftioa of ^ ow combuftion of phofphorus, which does not fucceed in 

 phofphorus. pure oxigen gas, but is fo greatly forwarded by the prefence 

 of the azote gas of atmofpheric air, {hew to a certain degree 

 the advantages which this great quantity of azote gas is likely 

 to produce in refpiration ; and the unfortunately too concife 

 refults of the laft experiments of the immortal Lavoifier on 

 refpiration, in which it was found, that a much greater 

 mafs of oxigen gas is decomposed in the fame time by ref- 

 piration in atmofpheric air than in oxigen gas, ftand in con- 

 firmation of the former facl. But hitherto we have potfeiTed 

 only probabilities, or refults not fufiiciently connected with the 

 fubjecl. To Davy it is that we are indebted for an exact 

 and inconteftible knowledge of the a&ive part which azote 

 gas performs in the procefs of refpiration. But in proportion 

 to the novelty and interefting nature of thefe refults do they 

 require to be confirmed by the experiments of others ; and 

 it was in this point of view that I undertook laft winter a 

 feries of experiments upon refpiration in atmofpheric air, 

 and aifo in the gafeous oxide of azote ; the principal refults 

 of which I now venture to communicate to the National 

 Inftitute. 



. Experiments on the Refpiration of Atmofpheric Jir, and 

 Oxigen Gas. 



Experiments of All the following experiments were made in the academical 



refpiratien. laboratory of the Univerfity of Kiel, which is provided with 



all the accurate apparatus of modern chemiflry, They were 



made 



