ON THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANISM. 
355 
the many purulent discharges, contributed. But supposing that the 
action of the fire had been restricted to parching very extensively 
of the skin, we entertain no doubt but that this would have proved 
sufficient to destroy life, through cutaneous asphyxia. We will 
go further. We believe that, in such a case as this, the escharifi- 
cation of the skin had the effect of prolonging life so long as the 
thirteenth day ; inasmuch as vast sheets of integument sloughed 
away in consequence of it, and so opened, so to speak, windows 
through which exhalation in some sort might go on. This accords 
with the experience of Fourcault, where it shews — a fact curi- 
ous enough in appearance, though still susceptible of interpreta- 
tion — that animals survive longer when they are completely de- 
prived of their skin, than when one applies over the whole surface 
of it an impermeable plaster. 
Some weeks after, we had a confirmation of this paradoxical fact. 
A horse was dragged out of the middle of a fire with a skin all 
over perfectly parched from the action of the flames. The follow- 
ing morning his respiration became so embarrassed, that M. Yatel, 
whose patient he was, believing there was an obstruction in the 
nasal passages, thought it his duty to perform tracheotomy. The 
operation turned out of no avail, notwithstanding it gave free 
passage of air in and out of the chest, and thus admitted of free 
respiration. The animal nevertheless died asphyxiated — asphyx- 
iated through the skin. 
The following are some of the experiments of Fourcault repeated, 
much abridged in report : — 
First Experiment, 3d of Oct., 1847 : — A mare ailing nothing 
save having canker, was closely shorn over every part of the 
body, mane and tail included, and the surface of the skin was 
afterwards covered with tar ointment. Some blood had been taken 
just before the inungation, with a view of ascertaining its appear- 
ance then, and learning what changes it would undergo. 
From ten o’clock A.M., the hour at which the ointment was put 
on, until four o’clock P.M., no anormal sign presented, save ex- 
treme sensibility of skin to the touch. 
At four o’clock there were partial muscular tremblings. Respi- 
ration slower by five or six per minute — pituitary, conjunctive, and 
buccal membranes, injected and turned violet — pulse full and strong 
— beatings of the heart energetic — appetite still good. In the 
night cough came on. At four o’clock, A.M., the animal is lain 
down upon his side in an almost complete state of immobility. 
Bid to rise up, he obeys with repugnance. His erect posture is 
unsteady. Motion difficult and vacillating, seeming as though he 
experienced great prostration of strength. The respiration slow 
and embarrassed, and accompanied by a blowing at the nostrils. 
