THE COMPOSITION OF EXPIKED AIR. 393 



believed to be of the nature of an organic alkaloid, or a ptomaine not 

 unlike Brieger's ptomaine (12 a ). 



In further reports, in 1888 (12 b ), they state that none of eleven rabbits 

 in which the condensed pulmonary vapor had been injected into the 

 vascular system in doses of 12 to 30 c. c. survived, but of eight rabbits 

 receiving an injection of from 4 to 8 c. c. three were living after the 

 lapse of from four to five weeks, but were then weak. When the fluid 

 was injected under the skin of the thorax and in the axilla, live out of 

 seven rabbits died rapidly. The results were much the same as when 

 it was injected into the blood. The quantity of the condensed liquid 

 injected in these seven was 20 c. c. in one case, 25 c. c. in three cases, 

 31 c, c. in one case, 40 c. c. in one case, and 44 c. c. in another case. 

 After death, considerable congestion of the viscera was noted, espe- 

 cially of the lungs. No appearance of embolism was noted. The brain 

 and its membranes were congested, but without visible lesion. The 

 condensed liquid turns concentrated sulphuric acid yellow. The poison 

 is reduced by ammoniacal nitrate of silver solution as well as by chlo- 

 ride of gold. After boiling in a close vessel it is still toxic, showing 

 that the poison is not a microorganism. The boiled lung liquid poisons 

 with more rapidity than that which has not been sterilized, and may 

 kill a pigeon and a guinea pig as well as a rabbit; that it may kill by 

 being injected into the rectum or into the stomach; that a guinea pig 

 two months old was killed within twelve hours by an injection of 3 c. c. 

 into the peritoneal cavity. If injected into the lungs this liquid pro- 

 duces rapid congestion followed by true inflammation and red hepati- 

 zation. 



In an experiment with two dogs it was arranged that one breathed 

 ordinary air and the second inhaled air which came from the lungs of 

 the other. The dogs were of the same weight, 15 kilograms. The 

 experiment continued for six hours and forty minutes. No appreciable 

 or immediate consecutive accidents were produced. 



In a second experiment the pulmonary liquid was collected from dogs 

 through a tracheotomy tube, to exclude impurities furnished by the 

 mouth. The air inhaled was first washed to remove dust. The mois- 

 ture in the air expired was condensed, and the liquid collected in a flask 

 surrounded by ice. At the moment of injection this liquid was filtered, 

 and was then injected at the temperature of the laboratory, about 12° 

 0. If the animal was kept immovable from twelve to sixteen hours, 

 inflammation of the air passages was produced. The liquid of the first 

 hours came from a thoroughly sound lung, and in the later hours from 

 a diseased lung. The two were collected separately and tried sepa- 

 rately. For 1 kilogram of the animal, for each hour, the mean quantity 

 of fluid obtained was 0.38 gram, varying from 0.28 to 0.48 gram. It was 

 greater in the beginning and lessened the longer the animal was kept 

 in a fixed position. It was injected into the marginal vein of the ear 

 of a rabbit by means of a syringe, 75 c. c. being injected. . When the 



