4 Effects of Oxygen and other Gases 



EXPERIMENT II. 



A kitten of the same brood was immersed in the same quan- 

 tity of pure oxygen, and exhibited similar phenomena. It was 

 not removed until the motion of the diaphragm had ceased 

 some few minutes, and it did not become reanimated. On 

 opening the chest, the heart was found beating strongly; and, 

 after its removal, forcibly contracted upon the knife when cut 

 across. Throughout the brain, and every part of the body, no 

 trace of venous blood was discoverable, but everywhere the arte- 

 ries and veins universally carried scarlet blood, as well as both 

 divisions of the heart, which exhibited the internal structure to 

 be entirely of a bright florid colour; and the surface of the lungs 

 appeared as if highly injected with vermillion. 



EXPERIMENT III. 



A full-grown sparrow was immersed in the remaining gas of 

 the last experiment. During the first hour it appeared to be 

 unaffected, but afterwards began to pant and gasp in a hurried 

 manner. In two hours and a quarter it showed no sign of 

 animation. It was then removed, the heart was found to be 

 in full action, and the vessels universally carried scarlet blood. 

 Several other sparrows and mice were successively immersed 

 in the same oxygen, and the phenomena which occurred evinced 

 no important deviation from the former symptoms. 



EXPERIMENT IV. 



A rabbit, of about three weeks old, was immersed in a glass 

 jar of oxygen, to the amount of about one gallon. In about 

 an hour its breathing was hurried and laboured, and a quick 

 action of the heart was evinced. Subsequently the respirations 

 became weaker and slower, and a state of insensibility ensued ; 

 the nostrils ceased acting, and the animal was on its side, with 

 no sign of motion but that of the diaphragm at distant inter- 

 vals, which continued a long time; and, at the end of five 

 hours, was still acting, though almost imperceptibly. It was 

 now removed from the jar, but exhibited no sign of sensibility. 

 On opening the chest, the heart was found in full action ; and, 

 on puncturing the aorta, the blood jetted out to a considerable 

 height. The diaphragm contracted slightly for a few mo- 

 ments, and the peristaltic motion of the viscera was going 



