430 Dr. Williams on the Practicability of [June, 



an opening fit to admit his two fingers from within the abdomen, 

 through the muscular part of the diaphragm on each side : 

 instantaneous death was the result of the latter method in all his 

 trials. In the former, death was not less certain, though a little 

 more tedious ; the life of one animal only (a large dog) was pro- 

 tracted so long as twenty minutes. In his third essay, or that 

 on Lesions of tire Lungs," Dr. Carson details an experiment per- 

 formed on three rabbits as follows : An incision was made 

 between two of the ribs on one side into the cavity of the 

 chest the air was freely admitted, and he concluded that the 

 luno- must have been reduced to a state of collapse. The wound 

 -wasT then allowed to close and heal. At the distance of five 

 days, a similar opening was made into the cavity on the opposite 

 side, when one out of the three rabbits soon expired after the 

 second operation. Dr. Carson inferred from the results, that it 

 is possible to collapse one of the lungs, and to retain it in that 

 state, ad libitum, by keeping open the communication between 

 the cavity of the chest and the external air ; and further, that 

 upon allowing the opening to close, the lung in a given time 

 will recover °its wonted function, thereby rendering it prac- 

 ticable, when conceived necessary, to place the opposite lung 

 under the like discipline. Dr. Carson has very ingeniously pro- 

 posed the application of his views to the cure of one of the most 

 frequent and fatal of diseases, phthisis pulmonalis ; and in a 

 single instance, he has reduced his hypothesis to practice, by 

 sanctioning the operation upon a patient in this town. 



It will be, perhaps, rather difficult to reconcile with the 

 above, the results of the following experiments : indeed had I 

 not been indulged with the presence of medical gentlemen at 

 several of them, I should have felt some scruple in giving them 

 publicity. All the subjects of my experiments were dogs. The 

 first four noticed had their os humeri secured to the rings of 56 

 pound weights ; their hind legs were well extended, and fastened 

 to similar weights ; so that they were retained nearly in their 

 natural standing position, which preserved to them, in a great 

 measure, the use of their auxiliary respiratory powers. 



Exper. 1. — An opening to the lull extent of an inch was made 

 into the left cavity of the chest, between the sixth and seventh 

 ribs, midspace, betwixt the spine and sternum. At each inspi- 

 ration, the lung was partially inflated, and was distinctly seen 

 beneath the orifice, and at a little distance from it. At each 

 expiration, it evidently contracted, and its lower thin margin 

 was thrust outward through the aperture, with great force and a 

 peculiar noise, caused by the protrusion, and an exit of a portion 

 of the air. The breathing was distressed when the lung pro- 

 truded, but as soon as the wound was allowed to contract, it 

 became more tranquil. The right cavity was in like manner 

 opened, and the same phenomena were observed. When both 

 apertures were kept wide open, the breathing was very laborious 



