On the Gaseous Oxide of Azof e. 219 



vessels which the heat disengaged yielded also a nitrous 

 smell to such a degree, that we were afraid of the success of 

 the operation; these vapours and smells, however, insensibly 

 diminished, and at last totally disappeared. About -this 

 stage of the operation, the bubbles w'nich were disenoqcrcd 

 had a nnanifest smell of the pnissic acid, which continued a 

 Jong time. At length the retort was filled with white va- 

 pours, and the gaseous oxide of azote began to pass, which 

 it soon did so abundantly that we removed the fire; and 

 having again replaced the charcoal, the sas, which had 

 ceased during the interval, reappeared in such abundance, 

 thai the luting gave way at one place. In spite of the loss 

 of a considerable quantity in consequence of this accident, 

 the disengagement of the gas into the tub continued very 

 rapidly during a quarter of an hour. 



This circumstance gave us reason to believe, that if the 

 luting had not given way, there certainly would have been 

 an explosion. 



Twelve persons submitted themselves to the experiment 

 of inhaling tlie gas at this meeting, several of whom repeated 

 it twice. It is right to observe, that the most of them had 

 inhaled the gas at the last meeting, when two out of seven 

 experienced a sensation of pleasure ; but on this occasion 

 none at all, and not even these two, experienced such a sen- 

 sation. On the contrary, several suffered very sevcrelv. 



M. de M stamped vvith his feet all the time he held 



the bladder. After recovering from a profound stupor, he 

 informed us, that he felt a? if he had got a blow with a da<>-- 

 ger on the back part of his head capable of kiHin-^ an ox, 

 and which he would not experience again for any thino- in 

 the world. The rest, in general, experienced vertigoes and 

 dazzling of their eyes, which were succeeded in some of 

 them by fits of laughter. I myself was of the latter number, 

 and the following is an exact account of what I fell : 



At the first inspiration I emptied the bladder. A saccha- 

 rine taste immediately filled my mouth and my luno-s en*- 

 tirely, which dilated considerably. I emptied my lungs and 

 filled them again ; but at the third trial n)y ears tingled, and 



I let 



