230 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



into use of sulphate of quinia; and another prize of 10,000 francs 

 to M. Civiale, for having been the first to practise lithotrity on 

 the hving body, and for having successfully operated by his method 

 on a great number of persons afflicted with the stone in the bladder. 



16. Upon the Gaseous Exhalations of the Skin. — M. Collard de 

 Martigny, having experimented on this subject, has obtained results 

 which tend to reconcile the differences existing between previous 

 observers. The Count de Milly first announced, in the year 1777, 

 that an aeriform fluid escapes in great quantity from the surface of 

 the skin, and he considered the gas as carbonic acid. Cruikshank, 

 Jurene, and Abernethy participated in this opinion. Ingenhouz, on 

 the other hand, maintained that the air so secreted was azote. M. 

 Frousset adopted the opinion of Ingenhouz, and endeavoured to 

 confirm it by experiments. Lastly, Priestley and Fontana ques- 

 tioned the reality of a gaseous exhalation from the skin ; and Four- 

 croy positively denied it. 



From the experiments of M. Collard de Martigny, he deduces, 



i. That a gaseous exhalation really takes place from the skin. 



ii. This exhalation is not morbid : it is observable in health. 



iii. It is composed of carbonic acid and azote, in very variable 

 proportions. The following experiment was frequently made. The 

 bubbles of air which are disengaged from the skin were received 

 into a funnel, the top of which was closed : they were then passed 

 into a graduated tube, and agitated with a solution of potash. The 

 height to which the solution rose in the tube indicated the quantities 

 of carbonic acid that had been absorbed. All these operations 

 were made at the same temperature and pressure. Neither hydro- 

 gen nor oxygen gas were discovered in this air. 



iv. It does occur continually ; but very often we may vainly at- 

 tempt to discover it, which has been the cause of error in the re- 

 sults of Priestley, Fontana and Fourcroy. It is especially suspended 

 after exercise long continued in the middle of the day, or imme- 

 diately after taking an abundant meal. Sometimes it is suspended 

 without any apparent cause. 



V. The quantity also is very variable ; but it was observed to be 

 constantly in an inverse ratio to the cutaneous absorption. 



vi. The proportions of the two gases vary very much, and some- 

 times the exhaled gas consists almost entirely of azote : in other 

 instances the predominance of carbonic acid is so great that it ap- 

 pears to be the only product. — Med. llep.,N. S. v. 75. 



17. Effects of Galvanism in Cases of Asphyxia by submersion. — 

 M. Leroy d'Etioles has addressed a letter to the Acadt^mie de Me- 

 decine, in reply to an assertion made by M. Thillaye respecting the 

 inutility of galvanism in cases of asphyxia. The former says, that 

 when a short and fine needle is inserted in the sides of the body 

 between the eighth and ninth ribs so as to come in contact with 



