109 



the volume of air in the lungs will at all times de- 

 pend on the relative capacity of those organs, on the 

 more or less vigorous state of the expiratory powers, 

 and on the degree of voluntary exertion with which 

 the function may be performed. 



90. The circumstances in which the animal may 

 happen to be placed, will render this variation still 

 more striking. Thus, from the experiments of Mr 

 Kite and Mr Coleman, we learn, that in the act of 

 drowning, animals are able to expel almost all the 

 air which their lungs contain, by which those organs 

 are brought into a state of collapse *. Dr Good- 

 wyn, on the other hand, found, that in three execu- 

 ted persons, the lungs were expanded almost to their 

 utmost extent, containing 250, 262, and 272 cubic 

 inches of air t : and Mr Coleman observes, that 

 when, previous to their suspension, he secured the 

 trachea of animals by a ligature at the instant an 

 inspiration was made, in less than four minutes they 

 ceased to struggle, though the whole of the air was 

 confined within the lungs, and no obstruction to the 

 passage of the blood existed from their collapse *. 

 Dr Baillie also has often observed the lungs filling 

 the chest, and distended with air and mucus, in per- 

 sons who have died asthmatic : so that to die and to 



his chest to have been narrow, not exceeding in circumference 

 29 inches. (Researches, p. 410.). 



* Kite on Apparent Death, p. 27. 29. 



Coleman on Suspended Respiration, p. 7. et seq, 



f Goodvvyn's Essay, p. 25. 



On Suspended Respiration, p. 111138. 



