[cameron-brownlee] gas in TISSUES OF THE FROG 55 



Experiment 2. The gas obtained from one of the frogs (No. 

 14 in the table) was tested specifically for inflammable gases, by 

 adding oxygen and sparking. There was no change in volume, 

 showing that such gases as hydrogen and methane were absent. 



A second frog was examined under water to find out precisely 

 the location of the gas. It was found in a number of pockets beneath 

 the skin, and in addition was present in all the organs of the body. 

 Intestines, stomach, liver, lungs, etc., floated when cut free from 

 the rest of the body. This general distribution of gas not easily re- 

 moved from the animal on cutting it open probably accounts for the 

 greater part of the discrepancies in columns 11 and 12. 



In this experiment, and in later ones, it was frequently observed 

 that frogs, living and unswollen, after confinement under water for 

 one or two weeks, from time to time gave off small bubbles of gas 

 from under the skin round the eyes, and from the mouth. 



In the case of the frog surviving till the forty-eighth day, the 

 muscle and peripheral nerve were found to respond to electrical 

 stimulation some hours after somatic death. No specific tests were 

 made in other cases. 



Experiment 3. The gas obtained from a frog dead after 7 

 days immersion (No. 8 in the table) was sparked down with excess 

 of oxygen over sodium hydroxide solution, and the presence of nitrite 

 proved by the formation of a transient black coloration with ferrous 

 sulphate and sulphuric acid, indicating definitely that the gas obtained 

 in these experiments is almost all nitrogen. 



A second frog (No. 13 in the table) was examined specifically 

 to find the nature of the liquid absorbed. 3-5 c.c. of a very faintly 

 yellow liquid were obtained from the lateral lymph spaces. This 

 liquid gave a colourless clot in one or two minutes. A few drops of 

 a similar liquid were obtained from beneath the skin of the hind limbs, 

 and 4 c.c. of a similar liquid from the abdomen. A considerable 

 amount of gas was observed beneath the skin of the abdomen and of 

 the hind limbs. 



A third frog, a male, living after immersion for 12 days and not 

 apparently swollen or buoyant, was pithed under water and examined. 

 The intestines and lungs were filled with gas and floated to the surface 

 when cut free. The remaining tissues sank. 



A fourth frog, a female, was removed alive after immersion for 

 12 days; it did not appear to be either swollen or buoyant. It was 

 pithed, and examined in air, for the presence of absorbed liquid. 

 One or two drops of coagulable liquid were found in the lateral lymph 

 spaces, and rather more in the abdomen, altogether 1 to 1 -5 c.c. 



