116 SOURCES OF THE NITROGEN 



drinking of what is called feather-white wine (der 

 federweisse Wein), we can no longer doubt that gases 

 of every kind, whether soluble or insoluble in water, 

 possess the property of permeating animal tissues, 

 as water penetrates unsized paper. This poison- 

 ous wine is wine still in a state of fermentation, 

 which is increased by the heat of the stomach. The 

 carbonic acid gas which is disengaged penetrates 

 through the parietes of the stomach, through the 

 diaphragm, and through all the intervening mem- 

 branes, into the air-cells of the lungs, out of which 

 it displaces the atmospherical air. The patient dies 

 with all the symptoms of asphyxia caused by an 

 irrespirable gas ; and the surest proof of the pre- 

 sence of the carbonic acid in the lungs is the fact, 

 that the inhalation of ammonia (which combines 

 with it) is recognized as the best antidote against 

 this kind of poisoning. 



The carbonic acid of effervescing wines and of 

 soda-water, when taken into the stomach, or of 

 water saturated with this gas, administered in the 

 form of enema, is given out again through the 

 skin and lungs ; and this is equally true of the 

 nitrogen which is introduced into the stomach with 

 the food in the saliva. 



No doubt a part of these gases may enter the ve- 

 nous circulation through the absorbent and lymphatic 

 vessels, and thus reach the lungs, where they are 

 exhaled ; but the presence of membranes offers not 

 the slightest obstacle to their passing directly into 



