37 
elasticity of the lungs. 
lungs, to appearance, were nearly collapsed to the usual de- 
gree. It was evident, from the ascent of the water in the 
upright tube upon the chest being perforated, that the spring 
given to the air by being compressed by a column of water 
twelve inches high, was not sufficient to balance the elasticity 
of the full dilated lungs of this animal. Water was poured 
into the apparatus till the tube remained filled. The lungs, 
with this additional pressure, still continued much shrunk. 
As the height of the tube was not great enough to ascertain 
the extent of the pressure necessary to balance the resilience 
of the lungs of animals of this size in the state of their usual 
expansion in the living body, an alteration in the apparatus 
became necessary. 
On the nth of September, 1817, a bullock was made the 
subject of experiment, with an apparatus of the same kind, 
but with a taller upright tube. Water was poured into the 
apparatus till it stood in the upright tube twelve inches above 
its level in the globe. The thorax was then opened. The 
water instantly ascended an inch and a half, and remained 
stationary. More water was then poured into the apparatus; 
but when it had risen an inch higher in the tube, the globe 
M'as found to be full. A further alteration therefore in the 
apparatus becomes necessary, before the resilience of the 
fully distended lungs of an ox can be ascertained ; for the 
lungs continued shrunk to a considerable degree, in opposition 
to the spring of air compressed by a column of water of 
fourteen inches in height. 
On the same day another bullock, with a less capacious 
chest, was made the subject of experiment with the same 
apparatus. Water was poured into the apparatus, as in the 
