29 



the lung-s. He endeavoured to state the quan- 

 tities of these productions ; but the numbers he 

 has given us exceed, in some degree, the due me- 

 ilium, because, in his days, the quantity of oxy- 

 gene in the air was taken to be greater than it 

 really is, by which means his eudiometric expe- 

 riments could not be sufficiently accurate. He 

 found further, that no nitrogene was absorbed by 

 the blood. 



Experiments were now made w r ith other kinds 

 of air, besides the atmospheric ; and among the 

 many, who have laboured in this field, Dr. BED- 

 DOES has particularly distinguished himself. He 

 tried to cure certain diseases, by means of inha- 

 lation, and gave us several instances of apparently 

 successful results. However, a multiplied experi- 

 ence has shewn, that less has been gained from 

 these inhalations than was originally believed. 

 As a concomitant result from these experiments it 

 was found, that hydrogene, as well as nitrogene, 

 might be inhaled without any deleterious effect in 

 the beginning ; and that the respiration of hydro- 

 gene gas produced a cheering effect, somewhat 

 like that of spirituous liquors. It was, however, 

 requisite that both these gases should be in a pure 

 state. All other kinds of gases were found to be 



