DEATH BY SUFFOCATION. 239 



The condition, then, in which a suffocated, or asphyxi- 

 ated animal dies is, commonly, that the left side of the 

 heart is nearly empty, while the lungs, right side of the 

 heart, and other organs, are gorged with venous blood. 

 To this condition many things contribute, ist. The ob- 

 structed passage of blood through the lungs, which appears 

 to be the first of the events leading to suffocation, seems 

 to depend on the cessation of the interchange of gases, as 

 if blood charged with carbonic acid could not pass freely 

 through the pulmonary capillaries. But the stagnation of 

 blood in the pulmonary capillaries would not, perhaps, be 

 enough to stop entirely the circulation, unless the action 

 of the heart were also weakened. Therefore, zndly, the 

 fatal result is probably due, in some measure, to the 

 enfeebled action of the right side of the heart, in con- 

 sequence of its over-distension by blood continually flowing 

 into it ; this flow, probably, being much increased by the 

 powerful but fruitless efforts continually made at inspira- 

 tion (Eccles). And $rdly, because of the obstruction at the 

 right side of the heart, there must be venous congestion in 

 the medulla oblongata and nervous centres : and this evil is 

 augmented by the left ventricle receiving and propelling 

 none but venous blood. Hence, slowness and disorder of the 

 respiratory movements and of the movements of the heart 

 may be added. Under all these conditions combined, the 

 heart at length ceases to act ; the cessation of its action 

 being also in great measure, probably, brought about, 

 4-thly, by the imperfect supply of oxygenated blood to its 

 muscular tissue. 



In some experiments recently performed by a committee 

 appointed by the Medico- Chirurgical Society to investigate 

 the subject of Suspended Animation, it was found that, in 

 the dog, during simple apnoaa, i.e., simple privation of air, 

 as by plugging the trachea, the average duration of the 

 respiratory movements after the animal had been deprived 

 of air, was 4 minutes 5 seconds; the extremes being 



