ON THE NONABSORPTION OF GXIGEN IN RESPIRATION. 231 



were employed, which were passed eight or ten times through gen disappear- 

 the lungs, '• until respiration became extremely laborious,^ * 

 with a great sense of oppression and suffocation in the 

 chest, indistinct vision, buzz in the ears, and at last per- 

 -fect insensibility," the oxigen and carbonic acid expelled 

 amounted together only to 14 or 16 parts in the hundred, 

 instead of 21, as in all the former experiments; and there- 

 fore when, as in these experiments, " respiration is attended 

 with distressing circumstances, there is reason," say these 

 gentlemen, " to conclude, that a portion of oxigen is ab' 

 sorbed." This conclusion, however, unlike the former, evi- 

 dently involves matter of opinion, as well as matter oi fact. 

 To the fact, that a portion of oxigen was lost, I readily as- This supposed 

 sent; but to the opinion, that this oxigen was absorbed, 1 retained inThe 

 must beg leave to demur. The two series of experiments lungs. 

 differ not less in their chemical results, than in their effects 

 on the animal system; and although these gentlemen, at 

 the commencement of their excellent memoir, seem to have 

 been fully aware, " that the deficiency in the respired air 

 principally arises from the diflRculty in bringing the lungs 

 precisely to the same state after as before the experiment," 

 yet they appear to have passed by this consideration in 

 forming the above conclusion ; and have thus been led to 

 consider the mere disappearance of a portion of the in- 

 spired air as a proof of its absorption by the blood., when, 

 in reality, it proves nothing more than its retention in the 

 lungs. 



1 have thus endeavoured to separate fact from opinion in 

 these experiments; and, if I mistake not, the fact is with 

 me and Mr. Ellis— the opinion with Mr. Acton. 



J. F. 



hemarks. 



As it is but equitable, that every writer should be allowed Contrevers^r re. 



to defend the opinions of himself or his friend, as far as quizes limiu- 



. . tion. 



may be done without indulging endless or unnecessary con- 

 troversy, the preceding paper has been admitted : though I 

 apprehend nothing remains now to be said on either side, 



unless 



