ON THE GASiOUS OXI&E OF AZOTE. 357 



ftifiicd, was again fo rapidly developed (hat the luting of the 

 Veflels began to give way. But notwithftaiviing the lofs which 

 this occafioned, the difengagement continued extremely rapid 

 in the receiver for at leaft a quarter of an hour. 



M. Difpan fuppofes, that if the luting had not given way, Danger of ex» 

 an explolion would have taken place, as has happened to pJ-^^it)!!- 

 others in this procefs. 



He next proceeds to ftate the efFefls of the refpiration of 

 this gas. 



Twelve perfons underwent the experiment, and on many The effefts pro- 

 it was repeated. He obferves that moft of them had inhaled ''"^"^'^ ''y ^^^^^^ 

 ^, r I r -1 c r g3s Were more 



the gas or the former operation, where two out of leven ex-powerfuJ,than 

 perienced pleafing fenfations; but on this fecond occasion, not the former. 

 one felt pleafure ; on the contrary, they all felt pain, and 

 many TufFered extremely. 



One perfon ftamped with his foot the whole time of the 

 breathing : when the bladder was removed, he recovered 

 from the profound ftupor into which he had been plunged, and 

 complained of a pain in the back part of his head, as if he 

 had received a violent blow from a dagger : he could not be 

 prevailed on to make another trial. The other perfons in ge- 

 neral were affeded with vertigoes and dizzinefs of fight, fuc- 

 ceeded in fome by involuntary convulfive fits of laughter. 



M. Difpan tried the effeds of this gas on himfeUj which hew. Difpan's de- 

 thus defcribes : — • fcription of the 



" At the firft infpiralion, I emptied the bladder, and my gas^upon hiin- 

 mouth was inftantaneoufly filled with a faccharine flavour, felf. 

 which extended into my lungs and inflated them. I emptied 

 and filled them again ; but on the third attempt, my ears were 

 filled with a tingling noife, and I dropped the bladder. I did 

 not, however, become altogether infenfible, but remained in 

 a kind of benumbed aftooiftiment, rolling my eyes about with- 

 out fixing them on any particular objefl : I was then fuddenly 

 feized with convulfive laughing fits, fuch as I never in ray life 

 before experienced. In a few feconds this propenfi ty to laugh 

 Hopped fuddenly, and I no longer felt any unpleafant fymp- 

 tom.'' 



Two others on whom the gas was tried, experienced only a Effedls on two 

 convulfive movement of fome of the mufcles of the face ; but "^" perlins. 

 were in the courfe of the day attacked with violent diarrha?». 



Vol. XIII.— April, 1505- Cc M. jgi'pan 



