ON RESPIRATION. 135 



of atmospheric air over mercury. Upon trying the residue ecI «« 1 c. Inch 



. , ,. .11 i i t ■ of atmospheric 



with lime water, 12*90 per cent only were absorbed, evi- air . 

 dently showing the oxigen was not all consumed ; and con- 

 sequently the animal dies while yet a portion of oxigen re- 

 mains; most probably from the combined effect of the car- 

 bonic acid gas produced, and the effluvia transpiring from 

 the animal's body, and which from this species in particular 

 is most highly offensive and disgusting. 



Exp. 5. ' The above two mice, when taken out of the iat anJ aftc 'ward 

 , ., . . kept four day* 



while yet warm, were passed up another inverted jar con- m 4 c . inchest 



tanning 4 cubic inches of atmospheric air. After remaining 

 four days no material diminution could be perceived. A 

 portion of the air was then tried with lime water, and 18 

 per cent absorbed. I did not proceed farther with this ex- 

 periment; for, being convinced how different must be the 

 chemical action of bodies possessing vitality, and those un- 

 dergoing decomposition, I did not see the utility of endea- 

 vouring to trace any analogy between thern : but to satisfy 

 myself what were the aerial products arising from the putre- 

 faction of animal bodies cut off from contact with the sur- 

 rounding air, I instituted the following experiment; 



Exp. Q. Into an inverted jar filled with mercury J passed Mouse recent- 

 up a mouse so recently dead as to be quite warm. The next ! y .v!, le( : m * 



r . J » , . , jar 'tilled with 



day a little gas had been produced, which continued to in- mercury. 

 crease, and in seven days amounted to about 2 -50 cubic 

 inches. A liquor of a pale red colour had oozed from the 

 body, amounting to about 0*15 parts of a cubic inch of a 

 most fetid and disgusting smell. 100 parts of the gas being 

 exposed to lime water, 81 parts disappeared. The remain- 

 ing 19 parts being submitted to the test for oxigen, 3 parts 

 were absorbed. The residual gas appeared to be nitrogen. 

 If any ammonia had been farmed, it must have been con- 

 tained in the liquor, and the fetor arising from that was so 

 Very powerful, as to prevent my distinguishing or entering 

 into any nice examination respecting it; but I have some 

 reason to believe its formation is considerably facilitated by 

 the presence of atmospheric air. 



19 Feb. Temp. 63°, P. 30-10. 

 Exp. 7. A mouse being passed up an inverted jar over Mouse in ©xJ. 



quicksilver, » en ***• 



