eS 
OO  LL“—< TL 
Respiration of Oxygen Gas. 95 
considerably, and now yield more copious supplies than any 
others. 
Whatever may be the cause of this phenomenon, the effects 
are so inconvenient, and it is so generally believed that they 
are likely to be permanent, that the inhabitants of the town 
are beginning to build cisterns, in order to accumulate artificial 
reservoirs of water. ee 
Art. XXIL. Respiration of Oxygen Gas. 
Wauer oxygen gas was first discovered, and found to be the 
principle of life to the whole animal creation, it was not extra- 
ordinary that extravagant expectations should have been form- 
ed as to its medicinal application. Disappointment followed of 
Course, and naturally led to a neglect of the subject ; and, in 
fact, for some years, pneumatic medicine has gone into dis- 
credit, and public opinion has vibrated to the extreme of 
incredulity, Partaking in a degree in this feeling, we listened 
with some reluctance toa very pressing application on this 
subject during the last summer. A young lady, apparently in 
the last Stages of decline, and supposed to be affected with 
hydrothorax, was pronounced beyond the reach of ordinary 
medical aid. As she was in a remote town in Connecticut, 
where no facilities existed towards the attainment of the object, 
we felt no confidence that, even if oxygen gas were possessed 
of any efficacy in such cases, it would actually be applied, in 
this case, in such a manner as to do any good. Yielding, how- 
‘ver, to the anxious wishes of friends, we furnished drawings 
for such an apparatus as might be presumed attainable, and 
also written and minute directions for preparing, trying, and 
administering the gas. It was obtained from nitrate of potash, 
Saltpetre,) not because it was the best process, but because 
© substance could be obtained in the place, and because a 
“ommon fire would serve for its extrication. The gas obtained 
had, of Course, a variable mixture of nitrogen, or azot, and pro- 
bably on an average, might not be purer than nearly the 
