52 



ON CUTANEOUS AERIFORM TRANSPIRATION. 



Obfervation of 

 gas emitted 

 from the fkin in 

 the bath. 



left philofophers in uncertainty, and appeared to require new 

 obfervations, in order that the opinions of chemifts might be 

 finally fettled on this fubjeft. 



I had often meditated on this fubjecl with an intention of en- 

 gaging in it, when in the fpring of the year eight, while attend- 

 ing one of my patients in the bath, I perceived that he was 

 entirely covered with bubbles of air ; the hairs on his body 

 were furrounded with bubbles decreafing from the bafe to the 

 fummit, fo that many of them prefented the appearance of 

 pyramids more or lefs elevated. I difplacedall thefe bubbles, 

 and in half an hour afterwards there appeared an equal quan- 

 tity. 

 It was nitrogen. On witnefling this phenomenon, I engaged my patient to 

 continue the bath, and collected fucceffively feveral jars of 

 this gas, which I examined with much care and at different 

 times. I was fatisfied that it was perfe&ly pure nitrogen gas, 

 without any mixture of carbonic acid. 



I wifhed then to know whether this phenomenon was ge- 

 neral, or depended on the pathologic itate of the fubject. 

 Experiments made on mylelf and on feveral other individuals 

 did not offer any thing fimilar. 



I communicated my experiments and their refults to Cit. 

 Fourcroy, in the beginning of the year nine, who encouraged 

 me to repeat them. Stimulated by the approbation of this ce- 

 lebrated profefTor, I undertook the talk. It was not enough 

 for me, in fa£i, to be certain of the accuracy of my experi- 

 ments, it was alfo neceffary to convince others. 



In the fpring of the year nine, having collected a certain 

 quantity of this gas with great care, I rilled a fmall glafs jar 

 10 lines in diameter, and eight inches high, with it; a taper 

 was inftantly extinguifhed in it eleven times fucceffively. 



I endeavoured to decant a fimilar meafure of this gas, but 

 could not fucceed, which I could eafily have done had it been 

 carbonic acid. 



It was paffed through lime-water without rendering it turbid 

 or diminifhing in volume. 



It underwent no change with ammoniacal gas. 



It did not affect blue vegetable colours. 



Phofphorus which had remained immerfed in it for more than 

 a month, was Scarcely diminifhed in bulk. 



I judged 



Detail of expe- 

 riments on this 



