276 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



Art. XIX. 



Proofs of the Contiguity of the Lungs and 

 pleura ; 6y Alexander Monro fenior^ 

 M.D, and P.J.'' 



THE experiment of opening the thorax 

 without hurting the lungs of living 

 animals, while the trunks of their bodies are 

 immerfed in water, thro' which no bubble^ 

 of air rife after the perforation, as propofed 

 by the ingenious Lieberkuhn and executed by 

 the illuftrious Halkr -f-, is a decifive one, if 

 yightly performed, for proving no air be- 

 tween the pleura and lungs. But, as an un- 

 wary operator may wound the lungs in per- 

 forating the thorax,, when air would cer- 

 tainly rife in the water, from which the 

 exiftence of air in the thorax might be con- 

 cluded, V and feveral other circumftances 

 may, and have caufed the conclufion from 

 this experiment to be difputed j it may not 

 be amifs to niention fome eafier ways of 



proving 



* February 7. 1754. 

 f Opufc. de refpirat. 



