PFAFF ON RESPIRATION. S&49 



O. The pier.head, on the eaft fide of Mr. Pape's cut. « 



PP. The two jutties, on the weft fide of Mr. Pape's cut. 



RR. The former canal, cut under the dire&ion of Mr. 



Smeaton, and other able engineers ; but which failed, and is 



iince blocked up by a bank made acrofs it, over which the 



prefent high road between Rye and Winchelfea patfes. 



New Experiments on the Befpiration of Atmofpheric Air, prin- 

 cipally zvith regard to the Abforption of Azote, and on the 

 Jlefpiration of the Gufeous Oxide of Azote. By Profejjbr 

 Pfaff, of Kiel *. 



.1 He great difcoveries in pneumatic chemiftry, the ingenious Short hiftory of 

 and ufefui applications of thefe difcoveries to explain * ne ^-Xf con- 

 phenomena of organized beings, particularly the animal cerning vefpira- 

 economy, and the valuable refearches of eminent philofophers tlon * 

 have greatly contributed to throw light on the doctrine of the 

 chemical effects of refpiration. In confequence of thefe 

 refearches, phifiologifts are in general agreed with regard to 

 the mod eflential points of this doclrine ; fuch as the produc- 

 tion of carbonic acid, the ufe of oxigen gas, and the animal 

 heat which refults from its abforption. But the activity of 

 philofophical enquirers has not yet fucceeded in removing all 

 the obfeurities of this fubjeel, and the difagreement between 

 the refults of various experiments relating to them, fufficiently 

 ihew, that new enquiries are requifite to afcertain the fources 

 of fuch errors as ftill continue, and to remove them altogether. 

 The experiments of the celebrated Davy have done much D . av y on . 

 in this refpect, and the refearches on the nitrous oxide afford 

 a new epocha in the chemical doclrine of refpiration. The 

 celebrated editors of the Bibliotheque Brittannique, have 

 thewn their conviction of the great value of thefe refearches^ 

 by the ample and inftructive extract they have given, and th& 

 manner in which Berthollet in the 45th volume of the Annates 

 de Chemie has given an account of the fame, has fufficiently 

 flxed the attention of philofophers on that excellent work. 



* This memoir was addteffed to the French National Inftitute, 

 and read at theiv fitting of the 25th of Meflidar laft (July 13.) 



The 



