ASPHYXIA. 495 



paralysis of the left arm, which was not completely cured at 

 the end of six months." 1 



It is thought that the condition of syncope has an influence 

 on the power of resistance to asphyxia. A case is quoted by 

 Carpenter in which a woman, who had been submerged for 

 fifteen minutes, was taken out of the water and recovered 

 spontaneously. She stated that she was insensible at the 

 moment of her submersion. 2 



When poisoning by confined air is gradual, the system 

 becomes somewhat accustomed to the toxic influence ; the 

 temperature of the body is lowered, 3 and an animal will live 

 in an atmosphere which will produce instantaneous death in 

 one that is fresh and vigorous. Bernard has made a number 

 of curious and instructive experiments on this point. In one 

 of them, a sparrow was confined under a bell-glass for one 

 hour and a half, at the end of which time another was intro- 

 duced, the first being still quite vigorous. The second be- 

 came instantly much distressed, and died in five minutes ; 

 but ten minutes after, the sparrow which had been confined 

 for more than an hour and a half was released, and flew 

 away. 4 



This is simply demonstrating, with experimental accuracy, 

 a fact of which we are all conscious ; for it is well known, 

 that going from the fresh air into a close room, we experience 

 a malaise which is not felt by those who have been in the 

 room for a length of time, and whose emanations have 

 vitiated the atmosphere. 



1 BERNARD, op. cit., p. 197. 



2 CARPENTER, Principles of Human Physiology, Am. edit, 1853, p. 536. 



3 Bernard noted a diminution in the temperature in the rectum of a pigeon, 

 from 105 to 88 Fahr., after four hours' sojourn in a confined space, containing 

 732 cubic inches of air. The animal was nearly dead when removed. (Loc. cit., 

 p. 128.) 



4 Op. cit., p. 119. 



