396 ANNUAL REGISTER, 
irritability in the different conftitu- 
tions. From the difficulty of difco- 
vering the conftituent principles of 
animal and vegetable poifons by 
chemical decompofition, the fore- 
going hypothefis may be found er- 
roneous ; yet, from the uniformity 
of nature, from the analogy in the 
action of thefe fubftances on the 
human body when taken into the 
circulating fyftem, and from the 
analogy the action of thefe fub- 
fiances bear with the azote in the 
pureft and moft fimple ftate the 
chemift can prepare it, we may ven- 
ture to conclude that it is the de- 
firoying principle in all thofe poi- 
fons which deftroy the animal life, 
by throwing it into convulfions ; 
and that the exiftence of this prin- 
ciple in fubftances where it cannot 
be afcertained by chemical analyfis, 
may in a great meafure be deter- 
mined by their operation on the 
animal conftitution. From the vi- 
-olent elevation and depreffion of 
the ribs in perfons who are juft 
hung, and from the fame taking 
place in the diaphragm in dogs, as 
if nature was {trugeling to throw off 
fomething which is noxious to the 
conttitution, it feems by its ftimulus 
_ to be the remote caufe of refpira- 
tion. That the aimefpheric air is 
a ftimulus itfelf, even when taken 
into the ftomach,.is proved by Mr. 
Goffe’s experiments above quoted. 
Quere, May not this be the caufe of 
the difference which is found in the 
recovery of perfons after drowning, 
whether their lungs were inflated 
during the time they were under 
water? or if they had a fenfe of 
their danger ? 
When the atmofpheric air enters 
the lungs, it is foon deprived of its 
oxygene or vital principle, and is 
rendered thereby noxious to ani- 
1797: 
mals, and unfit to fupport flame; it 
not only becomes a ftimulus, ‘but 
puts on the form of a moft deadly 
poifon. Melancholy proofs of this 
have happened where numbers have 
been crowded into the holds of 
fhips, and clofed from the circula- 
tion of frefh air. In the Black Hole 
at Calcutta there was a ftriking in- 
ftance of this. The effects of the 
wind called the Sirroc, feems to be 
owing to a diminution of the em- 
pyreal air in the atmofphere. In 
fome parts of Sicily the inhabit- 
ants are confined to their houfes 
for four or five days together, to — 
avoid a contact with this wind, 
Thofe Europeans who have felt it, 
defcribe it.as bringing on fuch a 
languor and dejection of {pirits as 
is almoft infupportable.. (See Bry- 
done’s Tour.) 
The fatal effeéts which daily oc- 
cur to perfons from going’ into 
vaults, caverns, wells, &c. which 
have been long fhut up, proceeds 
from the fame principle. The fa- 
mous Lago del Cani, fo often de- 
{cribed by travellers, is furely no 
more than throwing the animal in- 
to it; which, by the fudden fhock 
it gives, roufes nature to throw off 
the effets of this air which it had 
taken into its conftitution in the 
cave; and I make no doubt but 
one of our Englifh lakes would do 
as well, had we an equal opportu- 
nity of applying it. 
The violent pains which take 
place in the beginning of fever, the 
{pafmodic contraétion over the 
whole body, and the great fenfa- 
tion of cold fucceeded by a burn- 
ing heat, feems to indicate this 
fubftance fora primary caufe. We 
find the plague too ofien arifing in 
thofe warm countries, and where 
the rivers, after fubfiding, leave vaft 
quantit:es 
