Report of the Progress of the Sciences in France. 427 
éonsequently strains the guys when going very quick. The 
dotted lines at x, fig.3, 1 propose to be a piece of plank to be 
continued on the end of the topsail-yard, so formed or filled up 
as to carry off the body of water complained of. 
(Signed) ANnrHony Lockwoop, 
BGI: Report of the Progress of the Sciences in France in 1813, 
By J, C. DELAMETHERIE*. 
ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY. 
On the influence which the temperature of the air exercises in 
the chemical phenomena of respiration. 
Respiration has been latterly regarded as a kind of com- 
bustion, viz. that of the carbon and hydrogen contained in the 
venous blood. The oxygen absorbed by this combustion forms 
carbonic acid and water. 
It has been endeavoured to ascertain the quantity of atmo- 
spheric air which a man of a middling stature inspires at each 
inspiration, and’expires at each expiration. It has been sup- 
posed that it was from 20 to 50 and even 40 cubic inches ; but 
I have shown that this supposition is not correct. A man of a 
middling stature inspires only a few inches of atmospheric air. 
Now the atmospheric air contains only about one fifth oxygen, 
or 0°21. 
In the act of respiration a very small portion of this oxide 
inspired is combined with carbon, and forms carbonic acid. 
Another portion of this oxygen is combined with a portion of 
inflammable gas, and there is a production or disengagement of 
water. But the greater part of this light portion of oxygen is 
not combined, and it is found in the air expired mixed with car- 
bonic acid, 
But Delaroche, like myself, has discovered that there is a pro- 
duction of azote. 
He made a great number of experiments in order to deter- 
mine the influence which the temperature of the air exercises in 
the chemical phenomenon of respiration. He placed at different 
temperatures animals in manomeires or glass vessels with large 
apertures, hermetically closed by copper plates and screws. If 
‘we compare, he says, the results of the experiments made on 
one and the same animal placed in the same circumstances and 
at different temperatures, we shall see that almost in all the 
experiments upon the cold-blooded animals, the quantity of 
oxygen absorbed was a little greater when the temperature was 
low than when it was high. 
* Abridged from the Journal de Physique, de Chimie, et d’ Histoire Na- 
turelle, for Jan, 1814. 
The 
