Dr. Smith on the Action of Food upon the Respiration. 139 



there was a large quantity, so that it was recrystaUized twice. A 

 platinum-salt made from the chloride insoluble in absolute alcohol 

 (of which there was only a very small quantity), gave 44*3 per 

 cent, platinum, which is almost the same as the amount in chloro- 

 platinate of ammonia. No phenylic alcohol was found nor any of 

 its compounds ; and according to an experiment of Long (not yet 

 published), on the oxidation of phenylic alcohol, that chemist always, 

 excepting when he used spongy platinum, obtained a resinous mass. 



From the above experiments, it appears that by the action of 

 nitrous acid, nitric acid, binoxide of manganese and sulphuric acid, 

 permanganate of potash*, potash f, and in some cases by the pre- 

 sence of acids alone (as sulphuric or hydrochloric) %, on the organic 

 bases in the presence of water, water only is decomposed in the 

 first stage of the reaction ; and the fact that the radicals contained 

 in the bases are replaced by hydrogen by degrees, makes it plausible 

 that by these means we may be able to determine the constitution of 

 the natural organic bases. 



I am now experimenting with narcotine, and to all appearance, 1 

 shall succeed in determining its constitution. 



In conclusion, I may here be allowed to thank Dr. Holzmann for 

 his assistance in carrying out the above experiments. 



February 10. — Sir Benjamin C. Brodie, Bart., President, in the Chair. 



The following communication was read : — 



" Experiments on the Action of Food upon the Respiration." By 

 Edward Smith, M.D., LL.B., L.R.C.P. 



The author had proved in his former Paper that the maximum 

 influence of food is observed within two and a half hours after its 

 exhibition ; also that the action of food is in two degrees ; viz. that 

 which sustains the respiratory changes to the minimum line (or 

 that which occurs with complete abstinence), and that which is 

 observed as the maximum point to which the respiratory function 

 is increased after ordinary meals. His aim in this communication 

 was to show the variations in the influence of food between these 

 two lines. His method of inquiry was to take a moderate quan- 

 tity of a single article of food alone, before breakfast, whilst the 

 body was at rest and in the sitting posture, and to determine the 

 influence every ten or fifteen minutes during a period of about 

 two hours. He noted the amount of carbonic acid exhaled and 

 of air inhaled, with the rate of respiration and pulsation, and also 

 the temperature and the barometric pressure of the atmosphere. 

 The apparatus employed was that described in his former Paper, 

 and the gentlemen who submitted themselves to the investigation 

 were chiefly the author and Mr. Moul, with Professor Frankland, 

 Mr. Hofmann, and Mr. Reid, who engaged in a few experiments. 



The following foods were subjected to inquiry : — 



1 . The starch series, \iz. arrowroot, arrowroot and butter, arrow- 



* By it8 action on flniline, ammonia is obtained. tin its action on the amides. 

 X \n the case of asparaginc, bcnzamidc, &c. 



