ON RESPIRATION. JA'» 



the cause of the death of the brain. But the injection of of that of the 



air into the crural artery never proves mortal, though it oc- brain, 



casions a paralysis of the muscles. 



Mr. Ellis could not surely for a moment suppose, that Nonabsorptioa 



because the absorption of oxioen gas by the blood in the ot nie P hlt, c 



• i,i • • • ii> i n , passes by the 



lungs in healthy respiration is contended lor, therefore the blood in the 



game must take place with respect to hidrogen, or any other 'u^gs no proof, 

 ... , . . . . i , . " , . that it does not 



niephitic gas; or else with neither: and yet such is tne in- absorb oxiyen. 

 ference naturally presenting itself upon comparison of the 

 above two quotations. As an attentive observer of die chan- 

 ges ensuing in blood by its conversion from venous to arte- 

 rial, 1 am firmly persuaded, it is by chemical affinity alone, 

 and not a mere mechanical absorption, such as would take 

 place with water and oxigen or carbonic acid gas. It is only 

 by pressure that hidrogen gas can enter the blood vessels, 

 for in natural inspirations of that air no such effect can be 

 discovered as that by the lighted taper j and judging from 

 analogy we may conclude the same of the rest of the niephi- 

 tic airs. Besides, it has been ascertained, that the whole is 

 again thrown out of the lungs unaltered in the next expira- 

 tions; and, as we have already seen, when oxigen gas is 

 breathed, it is far otherwise. 



The blood, in circulating; through the oulmonary vessels, ,, 



a . . Manner m 



presents itself to the air cells to receive its accustomed sup- which death is 

 ply of oxigen ; and when noxious airs are respired, or respi- brought oh 



, . . ...... from a detect 



ration suspended, being continually disappointed it still of o? igen in 



flows towards all the organs of the body, and their arteries the lungs. 

 become tilled with black blood, till at length the animal be- 

 comes asphixated : that is, the volume of the blood returned 

 by the veins is increased; the venous blood not having the 

 power to stimulate the organs of secretion, their functions 

 remain unperformed ; the matter that should be secreted re- 

 turns therefore with the mass; while the venous blood, cir- 

 culating in the bronchial arterie produces the same delete- 

 rious eftbc-t on the lungs, as on the other organs; and from 

 the detieiency of oxigen, which is to the air ceils what food 

 is to the stomach, the cells cease to be expanded ; and at 

 length, by producing a similar effect on the walls of the 

 heart, so enfeebles its contractions, it cannot surmount the 

 resistance set up by the lungs. And, as Bichat energeti- 

 cally 



