412 Correspoiidence of J, Nickles. 



chloroforra; it is not preceded by convulsions, muscular contractions or 



stiffness of the limbs; the return to sensibility is prompt and complete; 

 the action is quicker, but it is dissipated sooner, so that the breathing of 

 the amylene must be carried on through the operation. Moreover, as 

 amylene is very volatile (boiling at 31° C), it is necessary in order to 

 produce the respiration of it to return to the old methods, of late aban- 

 doned. If free from fatal mishaps in its use, there would be a disposition 

 to favor it. But a disaster has just occurred in the hands of Mr. Snow, 

 and this has deprived it of its highest recommendation, its innocuousness. 

 It has been found that this amylene contains some amylic alcohol: — see 



beyond on the preparation of aiuylene. 



Aneslkesis hy the Oxyd of Carbon. — This gas is used only externally, 

 and on the diseased part. From the expeiiment by the unfortunate 

 Chenot on himself, we know that internally it is a poison. According 

 to the trials of M. Tuurdis, of the Faculty of Medicine of Strasbourg, \ 



and afterwards of Dr. Ozanam, it has no effect when applied to the skin, 

 imless the epidermis has been previously removed. But when applied to 

 the skin from which the epidermis is removed or to a wound or sore, it 

 acts efficaciously and produces perfectly the anesthetic effect; and in the 

 clinics at Strasbourg, satisfactory results have been obtained. We add 

 that ammonia appears to be an antidote to oxyd of carbon. 



Anesthesis by Carbonic acid, — A physician at Paris, Dr. Follin, has re- 

 cently endeavored to alleviate pain by means of a continued stream of 

 carbonic acid gas. After the discovery of gases by chemistry, towards 

 the close of the last century, medical men in England early undertook to 

 examine the curative properties of different gases. The first experiments -A 



were made by lugenhousz. He made known that a finger, when the 

 epidermis was removed, had the pain increased by oxygen, but diminished 

 and after a while removed by nitrogen, carbonic acid or hydrogen. This 

 fact, according to this author, was then known in France, where it had 

 been first observ^ed. 



^ It was soon after made useful in therapeutics ; carbonic acid was recog- j 



nized as the most effective gas for removing pain, and was employed with 

 success in several cases of ulcers. But from 1794 to 1834, the facts seem 

 to have been forgotten. At the latter date, M. Mojon, Professor at Genoa, 

 proposed the use of this gas anew. 



Dr. Follin was led to undertake his experiment from a knowledge of 

 some recent trials by Dr. Simpson of Edinburg. lie has applied a douche 

 of the gas with success for the relief of pain,' in the case of three females 

 having an* ulcerated cancer of the neck of the womb. Quiet followed 

 the applicatioa in a few seconds and continued, in one case, for ten to 

 twelve hours when a new application was required ; in a second, eight 1 



days; and in the third, an intermediate interval between the other two. 

 There was, however, no curative effect, which is not remarkable. Others 

 have repeated the experiments. The gas must of course be made pure 

 from any muriatic acid vapor, which may be effected by passing it through 

 a concentrated solution of carbonate of soda. Dr. Follin prefers bicar- 

 bonate of soda for obtaining the carbonic acid, which he decomposes by 

 means of tartaric acid. 



Preparation of Amylene. ~Y)r. Duroy of Paris, who has been studying 

 the best method of preparing amvlene, states that there is great difficulty 



