Death in Closed Vessels 555 



I used even more often an apparatus made in a similar manner, 

 whose reservoir was a simple receiver of a Seltzer water generator. 

 I could take this only to 10 atmospheres; but the rounded form of 

 the apparatus gave the animals more liberty. 



Finally, I used a mercury bottle, mounted like the glass cylinder, 

 The extreme solidity of this instrument would have allowed me to 

 carry the pressure to 40 atmospheres without difficulty. Its capac- 

 ity of 3 liters also has great advantages; the only inconvenience is 

 that of not being able to see what is going on inside. 



2. Experiments. 



A. Compression with Ordinary Air. 



I now come to the experiments. I shall list them, as I have done 

 hitherto, in the order in which they were performed. What I said 

 at the beginning of this sub-chapter indicates sufficiently why I 

 began with a pressure of 3.75 atmospheres. The apparatus which 

 I used in this first series is a Seltzer water receiver, of a total 

 capacity of 1060 cc. 



Experiment LXXXIX. July 18; temperature 26°. House sparrow, 

 young. In 10 minutes the sparrow is taken to 3.75 atmospheres; it 

 does not seem affected; but, an accident making the pressure fall sud- 

 denly, it bristles up and hides its head under its wing. The increase 

 of the pressure to its original level restores its healthy appearance. 



Cocks closed at 2 o'clock. At 2:20, sick; at 3:10, very sick; at 

 5:20, seems to be dying; at 6:30, the same. At 10 o'clock in the eve- 

 ning, thinking it dead, I withdrew air so that the pressure fell to 2 

 atmospheres; it was breathing then, and I left it until 10:30. Taken 

 out then, it was still living, with a rectal temperature of 28° (the 

 same temperature as that of the receiver) ; it died during the night. 

 The air which I took at 10 o'clock, and which probably would 

 have changed but little afterwards, contained: CCb 7.2; O2 11.1. 



Experiment XC. July 19; temperature 25°. House sparrow, young. 

 In 10 minutes, taken to 7 atmospheres; closed the cock at 2: 10. At 

 4:45 very sick, eyes closed. At 10 o'clock in the evening, found dead. 



I made the decompression rapidly and on examining the jugular 

 vein, I found the blood red and frothy like foam. 



The lethal air contained CO2 3.7; O 16.2. 



Experiment XCI. July 20; temperature 21.5. House sparrow, 

 young. Taken rapidly to 2V2 atmospheres. Closed cocks at 5:30. 

 Sick at 5:55; seemed dead at 9:45. I took out an air sample and 

 opened the apparatus. 



Taking the bird in my hand, I perceived that it was still breath- 

 ing a little, and was still a little sensitive. The rectal temperature 

 was 23.5°, probably equal to that of the receiver. I cut its head off; 

 it had very energetic reflex movements. The bird therefore lived 



