GASES CONTAINED IN THE STOMACH, SMALL INTESTINE, ETC. 299 



other way. Magendie and Chevreul collected and analyzed a small quantity of gas from 

 the stomach of an executed criminal a short time after death and ascertained that it had 

 the following composition : 



Gases contained in the Stomach. 



Oxygen 11-00 



Carbonic acid 14*00 



Pure hydrogen 3'55 



Nitrogen 7145 



100-00 



Magendie and Chevreul found three different gases in the small intestine. Their ex- 

 aminations were made upon three criminals soon after execution. The first was twenty- 

 four years of age, and, two hours before execution, had eaten bread and Gruyere cheese 

 and had drunk red wine and water. The second, who was executed at the same time, was 

 twenty-three years of age, and the conditions as regards digestion were the same. The 

 third was twenty-eight years of age, and, four hours before death, he ate bread, beef, and 

 lentils, and drank red wine and water. The following was the result of the analyses : 



Gases contained in the Small Intestine. 



First Criminal Second Criminal. Third Criminal. 



Carbonic acid 24-39 40'00 25-00 



Pure hydrogen 55'53 51-15 8'40 



Nitrogen 20'08 8'85 66'60 



100-00 



100-00 



100-00 



No oxygen was found in either of the examinations, and the quantities of the other 

 gases were so variable as to lead to the supposition that their proportion is not at all defi- 

 nite. We have already alluded to the mechanical function of these gases in intestinal 

 digestion. 



In the large intestine, the constitution of the gases presented the same variability as 

 in the small intestine. Carburetted hydrogen was found in all of the analyses. In the 

 large intestine of the first criminal and in the rectum of the third, were found traces of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen. The following is the result of the analyses in the cases just 

 cited. In the third, the gaseous contents of the caecum and the rectum were analyzed 

 separately : 



Gases contained in the Large Intestine. 



Origin of the Intestinal Gases. With our present information on this subject, the 

 most reasonable view to take of the origin of the gases normally found in the intestines 

 is that they are given off from the articles of food in their various stages of digestion and 



