QUANTITY OF THE SWEAT. 391 



It appears to me that we in no degree detract from the full 

 importance of the respiratory process, in considering that the loss 

 of weight occasioned by pulmonary exhalation only happens to be 

 so small because at the same time there is a great absorption of 

 oxygen, which is not the case with the perspiration. If, for 

 instance, we compare the quantities of the carbon and hydrogen 

 eliminated through the lungs in twenty-four hours with the 

 carbon and hydrogen of the perspiration (which, however, owe 

 their oxidation for the most part to the oxygen absorbed by the 

 lungs), the ratio becomes considerably modified and much more 

 in favour of the pulmonary exhalation, the sum of the weights of 

 these elements in the cutaneous transpiration being to that in the 

 pulmonary exhalation as 24 : 14. Hence there is nothing so 

 extraordinary in the ratio assigned by Seguin, as to induce us to 

 doubt that it approximates to the truth. 



According to Brunner and Valentin* there are about 10'4 

 grammes of carbon, and according to Vierordt 1*5 of hydrogen, 

 expired every hour in the form of carbonic acid and water. If we 

 assume that the 51*95 grammes, which is the hourly amount of 

 perspiration, according to Valentin, consist of 0'93 of a gramme 

 of carbonic acid (as Abernethy asserts), 0'3 1 of a gramme of 

 nitrogen, and 50*71 grammes of water, there would be 0'25 of a 

 gramme of carbon, 0'92 of a gramme of nitrogen, and 5*57 grammes 

 of hydrogen, removed by the perspiration in an hour. Hence the 

 separation of non-oxygenous elements through the lungs would be 

 to that through the skin in the ratio of 11 '9 : 6'75 3 which corre- 

 sponds pretty closely with that of 24 : 14. If we compare the 

 quantity of the oxides exhaled from the lungs with that of the 

 oxides in the cutaneous transpiration, we find that the two 

 quantities are almost perfectly equal; for in the course of one 

 hour there are exhaled from the lungs 51 '53 grammes of carbonic 

 acid + water, and from the skin 5T95 grammes of the same 

 oxides, together with nitrogen. 



We possess very few, and, from the nature of the case, very 

 inaccurate determinations regarding the quantities of the sweat 

 which are secreted under special relations, as, for instance, during 

 strong bodily exercise, after abundant draughts of water and 

 being enveloped in blankets, in the vapour-bath, &c. The only 

 observations bearing on this point to which we will refer, are those 

 of Berthold,t which were made in a vapour-bath, and therefore 



* Arch. f. phys. Heilk. Bd. 2, S. 373417. 

 t Muller's Arch. 1838, S. 177- 



