1878.] the Function of Respiration at Various Altitudes. 299 



Influence of Temperature at the various Stations on the amount of 

 Carbonic Acid expired. 



The stations at which a sufficient number of experiments were made 

 to allow of an approximate estimation of the influence of the tempera- 

 ture of the air on the amount of carbonic acid expired, were Yvoire, 

 the Eiffel, and St. Theodule. I have grouped the temperatures and 

 amounts of carbonic acid expired, as will be seen in the following 

 table ; the experiments they refer to are quite irrespective of the time 

 at which they have been made after a meal. 



Stations. 



Mean 

 temperature. 



C0 2 

 expired. 



Number of 

 experiments. 



The Eiffel { 



St. Theodule j 



51° 5 F. 



65°-2 



48°7 



57°'2 



36°1 



42°-5 



0-416 grm. 

 0-406 „ 

 0-491 „ 

 0-418 „ 

 0-458 „ 

 0-439 „ 



15 

 15 

 10 

 10 

 7 

 7 



In this table, it will be observed that at every altitude there is an 

 increase of carbonic acid expired as the temperature falls, which 

 is especially great at the Riff el. This circumstance observed at the 

 Riffel may be clearly traced to the weather, which was bad during one 

 of the days I was engaged with my experiments there last summer. 

 While sitting out of doors breathing quietly into my bag the rain was 

 falling heavily, accompanied by a cold, piercing wind. 



United influence of Temperature and Altitude on- the Carbonic Acid 



expired. 



If we now turn our attention to the united influence of temperature 

 and altitude on the amount of carbonic acid expired, the following table 

 will throw some light on the subject by showing the difference of mean 

 temperature, carbonic acid expired, and altitude, between Yvoire and 

 the four other stations : — 



Yvoire, 1,230 feet. 



Difference 

 in temperature. 



Difference in C0 2 

 expired. 



Difference in 

 altituie. 



St. Bernard . . - 14°'l 



Riffel - 5°'4 



St. Theodule . . - 18°-6 

 Breithorn. ... - 22°-9 



+ 0-046 grm. 

 + 0-036 „ 

 + 0.032 „ * 

 + 0-073 „ 



6,885 feet 

 7,198 „ 

 9,669 „ 

 12,455 „ 



* At St. Theodule, the temperature was comparatively low in the shade where my 

 thermometer was placed ; but many experiments were made in the sun, and, more- 

 VOL. XXVII. X 



