804 Experiments 



Experiment CCCXCII. January 17. Pieces of meat equal in weight 

 and similar in form. 



A. Placed in a bell of 15.5 liters, in which the pressure is lowered 

 to a half-atmosphere. 



B. Bell of 7.1 liters; ordinary air, at normal pressure. 



C. Bell of 2.6 liters; air at normal pressure, containing 59% of 

 oxygen. 



D. Bell of 3.2 liters; air at normal pressure, containing 59.8% of 

 oxygen. 



All these bells are hermetically closed, with hydraulic seal. 



January 23. The meat least altered in appearance is that in A; 

 those most altered are in C and D. Air samples are taken: 



B contains 13.5% of oxygen and 7.2% of carbonic acid. 



A contains 16.4% of oxygen and 5.3% of carbonis acid. 



C contains 25.2% of oxygen and 19.1% of carbonic acid. 



D contains 36.0% of oxygen and 17.3% of carbonic acid. 



We can calculate easily by means of these data that in 6 days: 



A (ordinary air, at V2 atmosphere) had consumed 343 cc. of oxy- 

 gen and formed 418 of CO2. 



B (ordinary air, at 1 atmosphere) had consumed 524 cc. of oxygen 

 and formed 514 of CO». 



C (superoxygenated air, corresponding to 2 x /2 atmospheres) had 

 consumed 642 cc. of oxygen and formed 496 of C0 2 . 



D (superoxygenated air, corresponding to 3 atmospheres) had 

 consumed 761 cc. of oxygen and formed 556 of CO2. 



The consumption of oxygen then consistently increased from V2 

 atmosphere to 3 atmospheres. 



Experiment CCCXCIH. January 14. Pieces of beef are placed in 

 two small flasks (A and A'), through the stoppers of which a capil- 

 lary tube passes; they are then placed in the cylindrical apparatus 

 under a pressure of 10 superoxygenated atmospheres. 



January 27. Decompression; the meat, slightly brownish, does not 

 seem spoiled. The capillary tubes are rapidly sealed with boiling wax, 

 and the two flasks are inverted in vessels full of water. Two pieces of 

 meat are placed in the same way beside them (B and B'). 



February 10. B and B' are evidently rotten, and smell bad through 

 the corks. 



A has admitted a little water; since then, the meat has become 

 red again; the water is slightly bloody and covered with mold. A', on 

 the contrary, is very firm, very wholesome, amber in color. 



March 25. Same appearance; the water has continued to rise in 

 A. This flask is opened; it smells very bad. 



May 22. End of the experiment. The controls B and B' are in 

 foul decay; through the microscope we see in it many vibriones, but 

 no more distinct muscular fibers; only a few of Bowman's disks. 



For some days we have noticed that bubbles of gas are escaping 

 through the pores of the cork in A'. The meat has become red, but 

 it is firm and stiff. It smells bad and is negative to reagents. Through 

 the microscope we see a few scattered vibriones; the muscular fibers 

 have remained well striated. The air of this flask contained 75% of 

 gas soluble in a potash solution. 



