. II. IMBIBITION MODIFIED BY TEMPERATURE. 37 



vegetables. The latter, from being abundantly furnished 

 with small spaces and capillary tubes, imbibe with the 

 greatest facility, and absorb solutions with which they are 

 placed in contact. This also is the case with the cellular 

 tissue and the parenchyma of the lungs ; but the opposite 

 effect takes place with the epidermis. 



Imbibition modified by Temperature I have likewise 

 sought for some difference in the phenomena of imbibition 

 at different temperatures. Two tubes prepared with sand 

 were plunged into water, the one at a temperature of + 55 

 centig. [= 131F.,] the other at + 15 centig. [= 59 F.,] 

 and the results obtained were as follows : 



The influence of temperature on imbibition is, therefore, 

 very considerable. Now we know that in animals absorp- 

 tion either by the skin, or in the interior of the economy, is 

 more active in proportion as the liquid is warmer. 



Imbibition in different hydrometric Conditions of the Mr. 

 I satisfied myself that imbibition was equal in air saturated 

 with moisture and in dry air. 



Imbibition at different Degrees of atmospheric Pressure. 

 Another result, not less singular, is observed when we study 

 imbibition by sand, ashes, and sawdust, in the vacuum of 

 the air-pump, and in air at ordinary pressure. No differ- 

 ence is perceptible in the height of the column of water at 

 the end of ten minutes ; but in the experiment with sand, 

 this peculiarity was observed, that for the first few minutes 



