191 



by a natural function of the skin : and the apparent- 

 ly decisive experiments of Dr Klapp, prove, that no 

 such absorption of oxygen is necessary, because no 

 emission of carbonic acid, or of any other aeriform 

 fluid, can take place from that organ. The produc- 

 tion of carbonic acid in the stomach, with the dimi- 

 nution of oxygen, and progressive increase of nitro- 

 gen gas in the intestines, observed by M. Jurine, 

 appear necessarily to arise from the longer time in 

 which the air remained in contact with the body, 

 and the greater degree of decomposition which it in 

 consequence underwent. 



151. If, then, there be no proof that oxygen gas 

 enters into the body through the skin, and if it be 

 also allowed that no carbonic acid can be emitted 

 from that organ, it must be granted, that the acid 

 actually produced (14?.)> is formed exterior to the 

 skin itself; and the disappearance of the oxygen 

 gas, in proportion to the production of this acid, 

 leads at once to the opinion that it is formed in part 

 out of that gas. M. Jurine found accordingly, that 

 as much acid was formed out of a given bulk of 

 air, when his arm was confined in it for one hour, 

 as when the experiment was continued for three or 

 four hours, which, it appears to us, could have a- 

 risen only from all the oxygen gas having within the 

 first hour been changed. For the formation of this 

 acid, however, carbon, its other ingredient, must be 

 in some way supplied ; and as, in these experiments, 

 no other substance but the skin was in contact with 

 the, air, from which it could be derived, we must 

 ascribe the production of the acid to the spontane- 

 ous union of carbon, furnished by the skin, with 



