. 128 



The residual gas was found to consist of — 



Carbonic Oxide 4*8 per cent. 



Carburetted Hydrogen 2*5 ,, 



Hydrogen 6*2 „ 



Nitrogen 86*5 ,, 



100- 



Where the sulphuretted hydrogen is 1*5, the sulphur is to 

 the carbon as 1 to 24*8. 



Both the oxygen and carbon of the carbonic acid are derived 

 from the blood, which is therefore carried rapidly away. 



The point of greatest importance was said, by the author, 

 to be the separation of these substances, which do not seem 

 to be pure gases, and which are entirely absorbed by alkalies, 

 and partly by acids and metallic salts. The portion absorbed 

 by acid salts was found to contain carbon and nitroge\i, in the 

 relation of 140 to 54, or as 100 to 38*5 ; but part of this was 

 evidently as ammonia. In albumen it exists in the relation of 

 100 to 28*9 The whole of the putrefactive matters were not 

 removed by acids or by acid salts. When the carbonic acid 

 and sulphuretted hydrogen are removed, the putrefactive 

 matters still remain. These gases, therefore, are not the only 

 substances to be feared. 



The condition in which these putrefactive bodies exist 

 was then discussed. The Author believed that one of the 

 conditions in which solid substances were taken into the air 

 was in solution, the solution itself being taken up as a vesicle ; 

 and he instanced analogous cases, such as sulphuric acid and 

 zinc when hydrogen is forming. The liquid evaporates and 

 a concrete globule forms, leaving at last a portion of solid 

 matter in various states. This condition can be supposed 

 to occur readily in many cases, but it does not appear to be 

 the probable result in all cases, as he cannot readily imagine 

 vesicles coming through the close pores of bodies such as are 



