NINETEENTH-CENTURY MEDICINE 



chamber 64. The pleasurable feelings continued to 

 increase, the pulse became fuller and slower, till in 

 about an hour it was 88, when the animal heat was 

 99. Twenty quarts more of air were admitted. I 

 had now a great disposition to laugh, luminous points 

 seemed frequently to pass before my eyes, my hearing 

 was certainly more acute, and I felt a pleasant light- 

 ness and power of exertion in my muscles. In a short 

 time the symptoms became stationary; breathing was 

 rather oppressed, and on account of the great desire 

 for action rest was painful. 



" I now came out of the box, having been in precisely 

 an hour and a quarter. The moment after I began to 

 respire twenty quarts of unmingled nitrous oxide. A 

 thrilling extending from the chest to the extremities 

 was almost immediately produced. I felt a sense of 

 tangible extension highly pleasurable in every limb; 

 my visible impressions were dazzling and apparently 

 magnified, I heard distinctly every sound in the room, 

 and was perfectly aware of my situation. By degrees, 

 as the pleasurable sensations increased, I lost all con- 

 nection with external things; trains of vivid visible 

 images rapidly passed through my mind and were 

 connected with words in such a manner as to produce 

 perceptions perfectly novel. 



" I existed in a world of newly connected and newly 

 modified ideas. I theorized ; I imagined that I made 

 discoveries. When I was awakened from this semi- 

 delirious trance by Dr. Kinglake, who took the bag 

 from my mouth, indignation and pride were the first 

 feelings produced by the sight of persons about me. 

 My emotions were enthusiastic and sublime ; and for a 



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