800 Experiments 



And finally, after studying these varieties of free anatomical ele- 

 ments, I thought I should investigate the effect of changes in the 

 oxygen tension upon the different anatomical elements, which in 

 combination constitute a living being. 



The strange effects of increased pressure were to engage my 

 attention particularly. Nevertheless I made a few experiments 

 with rarefied air; but I combined my report of them with that of 

 the others, since generally they were made simultaneously. 



Finally I should say that I employed in turn according to the 

 best interest of the experiments either ordinary air compressed, or 

 superoxygenated air compressed, or superoxygenated air at normal 

 pressure. I consider that all my previous researches have suffi- 

 ciently demonstrated this truth, that the effect of the compression 

 is nothing but the effect of oxygen at high tension. Furthermore, 

 for the questions discussed in this chapter, the experiments con- 

 stitute a control which is proof in itself. 



Subchapter I 

 FERMENTATIONS BY ORGANISMS 



1. Putrefaction. 



As a type and as a subject of study I selected the fermentations 

 of putrefaction in particular. Certainly, from the standpoint of 

 chemistry, the phenomena presented by putrefaction are extremely 

 complex and hard to follow. But its consistency, the facility with 

 which it is produced, and its characteristic outward signs which 

 are easy to observe seemed to me very advantageous for my pur- 

 pose. And so I shall begin by reporting the principal experiments 

 which I performed on this important subject. 



I shall first take up the putrefaction of meat. 



A. Meat. 



Experiment CCCLXXXVI. July 21. Temperature 22°. Muscles of 

 a dog killed some hours before. 100 gm., cut in pieces, are placed: 



A, in a flask of 2 liters, at normal pressure; 



B, in a flask of 4.250 liters, at a pressure of 38 cm.; 



C, in the Seltzer water receiver, containing 1050 cc, in which I 

 compress to 5% atmospheres a superoxygenated air containing 75.7% 

 of oxygen. 



Oxygen tension: 75.7 x 5.5 = 416, equivalent to about 20.8 atmos- 

 pheres. 



