102 



APPENDIX. 



GASES EXISTING IN THE IXTESTIVAL c AX A.L. These may be ascribed to three sources: 

 1st, from the common air swallowed with the food ; 2d, from the decomposition of the 

 intestinal contents; and 3d, from the occasional secretion of gas from the mucus surface of 

 the tube. 



The gases from the first source are found chiefly in' the superior portions of the canal; 

 those from the second source in the lower part, and those from the third, are by no means 

 limited in their situation. It is reasonable to suppose that a large proportion of the azote 

 and carbonic acid is derived from this last source. 



From the experiment of Magendie and Chevrule, who examined very soon after death 

 the gaseous contents of the stomach and intestines of four criminals executed at Paris, the 

 following appear to be the proportions and the relative quantities in the different portions 

 of the canal. 



1. Gases in the Stomach. 

 Oxygen* .... 

 Carbonic acid - 

 Hydrogen ... 



Azote - 



11.00 



14.00 



3.55 



71.45 



100.00 



2. Ga$s in the small Intestines.^ 

 Oxygen w 00.00 - - 00.00 - - 00.0 

 Carbonic acid 24.39 - - 40.00 - - 25.0 

 Hydrogen 55.53 - - 51.15 - - 8.4 

 Azote 20,08 - - 8.85 - - 66.6 



100.00 



100.00 



100.0 



3. Gases in the large Intestines. 



Carbonic acid - - - - - 43.50 - 



Hydrogen and carburetted hydrogen 54.7 



Azote 



4. Gases in the Caecum. 

 Carbonic acid - - - ... 12.5 

 Hydrogen - - - - - 7.5 

 Carburetted hydrogen - - 12.5 

 Azote 67.5 



100.0 



70.0 

 11.6 



51.03=100.00 18.4=100.0 



5. Gases in the Rectum. 

 Carbonic acid - 

 Carburetted hydrogen 

 Azote --- 



(4>m. de Chim. et Phys. ii. 492.) 



42.86 

 11.18 

 45.96 



V 



100.00 



* The oxygen seems to be absorbed by the blood before it reaches the small iniestiiies- 

 t Results in the different individuals. 



FINIS. 



