384 Scientific Intelligence — Anthropology. 



began to use coca to pass away the time, soon acquired a relish 

 for it, and from that moment were lost to the civilized world, 

 and, as if under some malignant spell, refused to return to the 

 towns. We are told how the relations at length discovered the 

 fugitive in some remote Indian village, and, in spite of his tears, 

 dragged him back to his home. But these unhappy persons 

 were as fond of living in the wilderness, as averse to the more 

 orderly mode of life in the towns ; for public opinion condemns 

 the white coquero, as it does an incorrigible drunkard among 

 us. They, therefore, take the earliest opportunity of escaping 

 to the woods, where degraded, unworthy of the white complexion, 

 the stamp of natural superiority, and become half savages, they 

 fall victims to premature death, through the immoderate use of 

 this intoxicating herb. 



21. Effects of compressed Air on the Human Body. — Dr 

 Junod has communicated to the Academy of Science the results 

 of his experiments with compressed air. In order to operate on 

 the whole person, a large spherical copper receiver is employ- 

 ed, which is entered by an opening in the upper part, and which 

 has a cover with three openings; the first for a thermometer, 

 the second for a barometer or manometer, and a third for 

 a tube of communication between the receiver and the pump. 

 The air in the receiver is perpetually renewed by a cock. 

 When the pressure of the atmosphere is increased one-half, 

 the membrane of the tympanum suffers inconvenient pressure, 

 which ceases as gradually as the equilibrium is restored. Res- 

 piration is carried on with increased facility ; the capacity of the 

 lungs seems to increase ; the inspirations are deeper and less 

 frequent. In about eighteen minutes an agreeable warmth is 

 felt in the interior of the thorax. The whole economy seems to 

 acquire increased strength and vitality. The increased density 

 of the air appears also to modify the circulation in a remark- 

 able manner : the pulse is more frequent, it is full, and is re- 

 duced with difficulty ; the dimensions of the superficial venous 

 vessels diminish, and they are sometimes completely effaced, so 

 that the blood in its return towards the heart follows the direc- 

 tion of the deep veins. The quantity of venous blood contained 

 in the lungs ought then to diminish, and this explains the in- 

 creased breathing of air. The blood there is then determined 



