ABSORPTION FROM THE BODY IN GENERAL. 447 



in some instances, as much as 5 drachms in half an hour; whilst the loss of 

 weight during the previous half hour had been 6 drachms: so that, if the same 

 rate of loss were continued in the bath, the real gain by absorption must have 

 been nearly an ounce and a half. Why this gain was much less than in the 

 cases just alluded to, is at once accounted for by the fact, that there was no 

 deficiency, in the latter case, of the fluids naturally present in the body. 



469. There are certain phenomena, which, if accurately recorded, cannot be 

 accounted for in any other way than by admitting that, under particular cir- 

 cumstances, a considerable amount of water may be absorbed from the vapor 

 of the atmosphere. The following are among the most satisfactory and circum- 

 stantial observations that have been adduced in support of this position. Lining 

 observed that his body on one occasion increased in weight during two hours to 

 the amount of 8 oz., allowance being made for the amount of fluid ingested 

 during that time, and for the quantity passed off by the urine and by cutaneous 

 transpiration. 1 Dr. Jurin affirms that he ascertained an increase of 18 oz. to 

 have taken place during a night passed in a cool room after a day's exercise 

 and abstinence. 3 It is stated by Dr. Watson, 3 that a lad at Newmarket, having 

 been almost starved, in order that he might be reduced to a proper weight for 

 riding a match, was weighed at 9 A. M., and again at 10 A. M.; and he was 

 found to have gained nearly 30 oz. in weight in the course of this hour, though 

 he had only drunk half a glass of wine in the interim. A parallel instance was 

 related to the Author by the late Sir Gr. Hill, then Governor of St. Vincent : a 

 jockey had been for some time in training for a race, in which that gentleman 

 was much interested, and had been reduced to the proper weight; on the morn- 

 ing of the trial, being much oppressed with thirst, he took one cup of tea; and 

 shortly afterwards his weight was found to have increased .6 Ibs., so that he was 

 incapacitated for riding. Nearly the whole of the increase in the former case, 

 and at least three-fourths of it in the latter, must be attributed to absorption from 

 the vapor of the atmosphere ; probably, however, rather through the lungs than 

 through the skin. If the possibility of such absorption be admitted, we are 

 probably to attribute to it the chief part of the excess of watery fluid which 

 cannot be otherwise accounted for, in the following instances. Dr. Dill 4 relates 

 the case of a diabetic patient, who for five weeks passed 24 Ibs. of urine every 

 twenty-four hours; his ingesta during the same period amounted to 22 Ibs. At 

 the commencement of the disease he weighed 145 Ibs.; and when he died, 27 

 Ibs. of loss had been sustained. The daily excess of the excretions over the 

 fluid ingesta could not have been less than 4 Ibs.; making 140 Ibs. for the 

 thirty-five days during which the complaint lasted. If from this we deduct the 

 amount of diminution which the weight of the body sustained during the time, 

 we shall still have 113 Ibs. to be accounted for, which can only have entered 

 the body from the atmosphere. A case of ovarian dropsy has been recorded by 

 Mr. Ford, 5 in which it was observed that the patient, during eighteen days, 

 drank 692 oz. or 43 pints of fluid, and that she discharged by urine and by 

 paracentesis 1298 oz. or 91 pints, which leaves a balance of 606 oz. or 38 pints, 

 to be similarly accounted for. 6 



470. Not only water, but substances dissolved in it, may be thus introduced. 



1 " Philosophical Transactions," 1743, p. 496. 



2 Klapp, "Inaug. Dissert." p. 30, cited by Dr. Madden. 



3 "Chemical Essays," vol. iii. p. 100. 



4 "Trans, of Med.-Chirurg. Soc. of Edinb.," vol. ii. 



5 "Medical Communications," vol. ii. p. 130. 



6 In this case, however, as in others of a similar kind, something is to be allowed for 

 the quantity of water contained in the solid food ingested ; but this may be fairly considered 

 not to exceed the quantity lost by pulmonary and cutaneous exhalation, and discharged in 

 the fecal evacuations. 



