and Oxygen Gas ly Respiration. 255 



been absorbed by the system under the circumstances of this 

 experiment. 



Reviewing the 14th experiment, it appears that the gas 

 after respiration contained 85 per cent, azote, and 15 per 

 cent, oxygen, either in the state of carbonic acid, or free. 



Stale of the Air before the Experiment. 

 300 = 237 azote + 63 oxygen. 



After the Experiment . 

 85 : 15 :: 237 : 41'82. 

 The total quantity of oxygen after the experiment appears to 

 be 41 - 82 cubic inches. 



Then 237 azote + 41*82 oxygen = 278*82. 

 The total volume after the experiment appears to be 2JS*82 

 cubic inches. 



300 — 273*82 = 21*18. 

 The loss of oxygen in this case was 21*1S cubic inches. 

 We are disposed to consider the 1 1th as a standard expe- 

 riment relative to carbonic acid gas, because the quantity of 

 air respired in a given time is pretty near the average of the 

 first ten experiments; and because it very nearly agrees with 

 the statement of professor Davy. In this experiment 292' 

 cubic inches of carbonic acid gas were given off in eleven 

 minutes ; the barometer was 30*4, the thermometer 50°, the 

 volume being calculated at the mean, viz. barometer 30, 

 thermometer 60°, will be 302 cubic inches given off in eleven 

 minutes, or 39534 cubic inches in twenty-four hours, sup- 

 posing the production to be uniform during all that period ; 

 and as 100 cubic inches of carbonic acid gas weigh 47*26 

 grains, 



100 : 47*26 : : 39534 : 18683*76; 

 the weight of the carbonic acid gas amounts to 18683*76 

 grains; and estimating the carbon in it at 28 parts in 100, 

 according to Lavoisier, or 28*60, as calculated in the expe- 

 riments on diamond, recorded in the Society's Transactions, 



100 : 28*60 : : 1S683*76 : 5363*55 grains; 

 it will follow that 5363*55 grs. or above 1 1 oz. troy of solid 

 carbon, are emitted by the lungs in the course of twenty- 

 four hours ; and that 39534 cubic inches of oxygen gas are 

 consumed in the saine time. But when we consider that 

 In respiration perfectly natural, a much smaller quantity o£ 



air 



