Kcur'i/hment hy Alforptkn. — Gafcous Oxycl of Azote. 9J; 



Orotava in the Ifland of TenerifFc, 

 June 24, I 7qcj, 



We left Coruntia on the 5th, and arrived, without any 

 accident, at Lancerotta on the 16th, and St. Croix, in Tene- 

 rifFe, on the 17th. We were in fight of four Englidi fri- 

 gates, which we efcaped, but we cannot tetl how. 



I have examined the peak with great attention; T was a]- 

 moft in the crater at the height of 1 1,500 feet. This excur- 

 fion was attended with more fatigue than danger. 



We found the heat of the crater on the ground 70' Rcaum. 

 and the air a-t 2°. The pumice-ftone, which has occafioned 

 fb much diipute, is obfidian-ftone fufed and decompofed. 

 It is here as clear as the day. I am fo tired that I muft 

 conclude my ktter. We are juft going to fet out for Ca- 

 raccas and the Havannah. 



Alex. Von Humboldt. 



NOUnrSHMENT BY ABSOKPTfON. 



Dr. Van Mons, of Bruflels, has lately announced the fol- 

 lowing circumftance: — Having a patient under his care, who, 

 on account of a wound in the throat, was incapable of fwal- 

 Ibwing any kind of nouriflnncnt for feveral days, he kept him' 

 alive during that period by applying to the (kin, in different 

 parts of the body, feveral times a-day, a fponge dipped in- 

 wine or ftrong foup. He concludes from, this fail, that the 

 abforbing veflels of the fkin are capable af conveying the fluids 

 communicated to them to the interior parts of the body, as 

 the latter convey the aflimilated nOurifhment to the blood. 

 It thould be remarked, however, that from Dr. Rollo's expe- 

 riments on diabetic patients, it did not appear that water wa^ 

 abforbed by the fkin : but this may have been wving to fome- 

 thing peculiar in the abforbent fyftem of fuch patients; for 

 one of our own navigators (Captain Ingleficld or Bligh, we 

 do not recolle£l which,) kept their companions from- perifli- 

 ing of thirll, by applying fea-water to the fkin. 



GASEOUS OXYD OP AZOTE. 



We have fecn this gas inhaled : it feems to produce, 

 through the medium of the lungs, the fame ciTeft that al- 

 cohol does through the medium of the flomach — intoxica- 

 tion. 



