ON RESPIRATION. 145 



be similar to what occurs when they are exposed in a room phere highly 



heated actili" 

 oxigen gas. 



of atmospheric air heated many degrees beyond the tempe- 



rature of the body : the excitement in each case is equally- 

 great; and, if it continue, death will be eventually occa- 

 sioned in both from the same cause, the too rapid absorption 

 of oxigen. In heated air the circulation is proportionably 

 quickened, and a larger surface of blood is of course pre- 

 sented to its influence. And the action by chemical affinity 

 between the blood and the oxigen is no doubt in such cir- 

 cumstances considerably increased. I have sometimes seen 

 dogs sleeping by a large fire excited to such a degree, as at 

 length to respire with great difficulty; the action of the 

 diaphragm has been very violent; and they have in conse- 

 quence awoke, and been compelled though reluctantly to 

 move. \ 



But the most deleterious and noxious of all the gasses to Ox'mumtic 

 animal life is the oxis;enized muriatic acid. If it be pure acld most dele * 



T ' . . terious. 



and recent, animals die the instant they are put into it, and 

 the effects upon the thoracic viscera are most dreadful. 



In examining some mice suffocated in it, I found the j ts e ^ ects on 

 lungs converted into a dark purplish brown pulp; the heart, mice, 

 auricles, and vessels, become black, dry, and corrugated; 

 the membranes and other parts nearly destroyed ; and the 

 blood coagulated into a mass like an electuary. The brain, 

 too appeared much inflamed when compared with some that 

 had died in a different manner. But in so small an animal 

 the symptoms cannot be very accurately traced ; nor can 

 any other than general observations be made, without consi- 

 derable difficulty and patience. Death by this means 

 seems to be synchronous; that is, the action of the acid gas 

 is not referrible to any particular organ, but kills the lungs, 

 heart, and brain, all at the same time. 



I have often inspected animals suffocated by drowning, Tj) r0 wnedanl« 

 andhavealways found the lungs distended by a quantity of air mals. 

 remaining in the cells; and as this must consist of carbonic 

 acid and nitrogen, might it not be proper, in cases of sus- 

 pended animation, to draw it out of the lungs by an ex- 

 hausting syringe, previously to the inflation of them with 

 the oxigen gas? 



By the politeness of Mr. Stebbing I was permitted to , - 



Vol. XXIV.— -Oct. 1808. L examine sons'strangioi. 



