DIVISION I.
EXPERIMENTS and OBSERVATIONS on the EFFECTS produced upon ANIMALS by the RESPIRATION of NITROUS OXIDE.
I. Preliminaries.
The term respirable, in its physiological application, has been differently employed. Some times by the respirability of a gas has been meant, its power of supporting life for a great length of time, when repeatedly applied to the blood in the lungs. At other times all gases have been considered as respirable, which were capable of introduction into the lungs by voluntary efforts, without any relation to their vitality.
In the last sense the word respirable is most properly employed. In this sense it is used in the following sections.
Non-respirable gases are those, which when applied to the external organs of respiration, stimulate the muscles of the epiglottis in inch a way as to keep it perfectly close on the glottis; thus preventing the smallest particle of gas from entering into the bronchia, in spite of voluntary exertions; such are carbonic acid, and acid gases in general.[183]
Of respirable gases, or those which are capable of being taken into the lungs by voluntary efforts.
One only has the power of uniformly supporting life;—atmospheric air. Other gases, when respired, sooner or later produce death; but in different modes.
Some, as nitrogene and hydrogene, effect no positive change in the venous blood. Animals immersed in these gases die of a disease produced by privation of atmospheric air, analogous to that occasioned by their submersion in water, or non-respirable gases.
Others, as the different varieties of hydrocarbonate, destroy life by producing some positive change[184] in the blood, which probably immediately renders it incapable of supplying the nervous and muscular fibres with principles essential to sensibility and irritability.
Oxygene, which is capable of being respired for a much greater length of time than any other gas, except common air, finally destroys life; first producing changes in the blood, connected with new living action.[185]
After experiments, to be detailed hereafter, made upon myself and others, had proved that nitrous oxide was respirable, and capable of supporting life for a longer time than any of the gases, except atmospheric air and oxygene, I was anxious to ascertain the effects of it upon animals, in cases where its action could be carried to a full extent; and to compare the changes occasioned by it in their organs, with those produced by other powers.
II. On the respiration of Nitrous Oxide
by warm-blooded Animals.
The nitrous oxide employed in the following experiments, was procured from nitrate of ammoniac, and received in large jars, filled with water previously saturated with the gas. The animal was introduced into the jar, by being carried under the water; after its introduction, the jar was made to rest on a shelf, about half an inch below the surface of the water; and the animal carefully supported, so as to prevent his mouth from resting in the water.
This mode of experimenting, either under water or mercury, is absolutely necessary, to ascertain with accuracy the effects of pure gases on living beings. In some experiments that I made on the respiration of nitrous oxide, by animals that were plunged into jars of it opened in the atmosphere, and immediately closed after their introduction, the unknown quantities of common air carried in, were always sufficient to render the results perfectly inaccurate.
Animals suffer little or nothing by being passed through water.
That the phænomena in these experiments might be more accurately observed, two or three persons were always present at the time of their execution, and an account of them was noted down immediately after.
a. A stout and healthy young cat, of four or five months old, was introduced into a large jar of nitrous oxide. For ten or twelve moments he remained perfectly quiet, and then began to make violent motions, throwing himself round the jar in every direction. In two minutes he appeared quite exhausted, and sunk quietly to the bottom of the jar. On applying my hand to the thorax, I found that the heart beat with extreme violence; on feeling about the neck, I could distinctly perceive a strong and quick pulsation of the carotids. In about three minutes the animal revived, and panted very much; but still continued to lie on his side. His inspirations then became longer and deeper, and he sometimes uttered very feeble cries. In four minutes the pulsations of the heart appeared quicker and feebler. His inspirations were at long intervals, and very irregular; in five minutes the pulse was hardly perceptible; he made no motions, and appeared wholly senseless. After five minutes and quarter he was taken out, and exposed to the atmosphere before a warm fire. In a few seconds he began to move, and to take deep inspirations. In five minutes he attempted to rise on his legs; but soon fell again, the extremities being slightly convulsed. In eight or nine minutes he was able to walk, but his motions were staggering and unequal, the right leg being convulsed, whilst the other was apparently stiff and immoveable; in about half an hour he was almost completely recovered.
b. A healthy kitten, of about six weeks old, was introduced into nitrous oxide. She very soon began to make violent exertions, and in less than a minute fell to the bottom of the receiver, as if apoplectic. At this moment, applying my hand to her side, I felt the heart beating with great violence. She continued gasping, with long inspirations, for three minutes and half; at the end of five minutes and half she was taken out completely dead.
c. Another kitten of the same breed was introduced into nitrous oxide, the day after. She exhibited the same phænomena, and died in it in about five minutes and half.
d. A small dog that had accidentally met with a dislocation of the vertebræ of the loins, and was in great pain, as manifested by his moaning and whining, was introduced into a large jar of nitrous oxide. He immediately became quiet, and lay on his side in the jar, breathing very deeply. In four minutes his respiration became noisy, and his eyes sparkled very much. I was not able to apply my hand to the thorax. In five minutes he appeared senseless, and in seven minutes was perfectly dead.
e. A strong rabbit, of ten or twelve months old, was introduced into nitrous oxide. He immediately began to struggle very much, and in a minute fell down senseless: in two minutes the legs became convulsed, and his inspirations were deep and noisy: in less than five minutes he appeared perfectly dead.
f. A rabbit of a month old introduced into nitrous oxide, became senseless in less than a minute; the pulsations of the heart were very strong at this moment: they gradually became weaker, and in three minutes and half the animal was dead.
g. Another rabbit of the same breed, after being rendered senseless in nitrous oxide in a minute and half, was taken out. He soon became convulsed; in a minute began to breathe quickly; in two minutes attempted to rise, but staggered, and fell again on his side. His hinder legs were paralytic for near five minutes. In twenty he had almost recovered.
h. A middle sized guinea-pig was much convulsed, after being in nitrous oxide for a minute. In two minutes and half he was senseless. Taken out at this period, he remained for some minutes by the side of a warm fire, without moving; his fore legs then became convulsed; his hind legs were perfectly paralytic. In this state he continued, without attempting to rise or move, for near an hour, when he died.
i. A large and old guinea-pig died in nitrous oxide, exhibiting the same phænomena as the other animals, in about five minutes and quarter. A young one was killed in three minutes and half.
j. A small guinea-pig, after breathing nitrous oxide for a minute and half, was taken out, and placed before a warm fire. He was for a few minutes a little convulsed; but in a quarter of an hour got quite well, and did not relapse.
k. A large mouse introduced into nitrous oxide, was for a few seconds very active. In half a minute he fell down senseless; in a minute and quarter he appeared perfectly dead.
l. A mouse taken out of nitrous oxide, after being in it for half a minute, continued convulsed for some minutes, but finally recovered.
m. A young hen was introduced into a vessel filled with nitrous oxide. She immediately began to struggle very much; fell on her breast in less than half a minute, and in two minutes was quite dead.
n. A goldfinch died in nitrous oxide in less than a minute.
In each of these experiments a certain absorption of the gas was always perceived, the water rising in the jar during the respiration of the animal. From them we learn
1st. That nitrous oxide is destructive when respired for a certain time to the warm-blooded animals, apparently previously exciting them to a great extent.
2dly. That when its operation is stopped before compleat exhaustion is brought on, the healthy living action is capable of being gradually reproduced, by enabling the animal to respire atmospheric air.
3dly. That exhaustion and death is produced in the small animals by nitrous oxide sooner than in the larger ones, and in young animals of the same species, in a shorter time than in old ones, as indeed Dr. Beddoes had conjectured a priori would be the case.
Most of the animals destroyed in these experiments were examined after death; the appearances in their organs were peculiar. To prevent unnecessary repetitions, an account of them will be given in the fourth section.
III. Effects of the respiration of Nitrous Oxide upon animals,
as compared with those produced by their immersion
in Hydrogene and Water.
Before the following experiments were made, a number of circumstances had convinced me that nitrous oxide acted on animals by producing some positive change in their blood, connected with new living action of the irritable and sensitive organs, and terminating in their death.
To ascertain however, the difference between the effects of this gas and those of hydrogene and non-respirable gases, I proceeded in the following way.
a. Of two healthy rabbits of about two months old, of the same breed, and nearly of the same size.
One was introduced into nitrous oxide. In a half a minute, it had fallen down apparently senseless. On applying my hand to the thorax, the action of the heart appeared at first, very quick and strong, it gradually became weaker, and in two minutes and half, the animal was taken out quite dead.
The other was introduced into a jar of pure hydrogene through water. He immediately began to struggle very much, and in a quarter of a minute fell on his side. On feeling the thorax, the pulsations of the heart appeared very quick and feeble, they gradually diminished; his breathing became momentarily shorter, and in rather more than three quarters of a minute, he was taken out dead. Dr. Kinglake was present at this experiment, and afterwards dissected both of the animals.
b. Of two similar rabbits of the same breed, nearly three months old. One was introduced into nitrous oxide, and after being rendered senseless by the respiration of it for nearly a minute and half, was exposed to the atmosphere, before a warm fire. He recovered gradually, but was occasionally convulsed, and had a paralysis of one of his hinder legs for some minutes: in an hour he was able to walk. The other, after being immerged in hydrogene for near half a minute, was restored to the atmosphere apparently inanimate. In less than a minute he began to breathe, and to utter a feeble noise; in two minutes was able to walk, and in less than three minutes appeared perfectly recovered.
c. A kitten of about two months old, was introduced into a jar of nitrous oxide, at the same time that another of the same breed was plunged under a jar of water. They both struggled very much. The animal in the nitrous oxide fell senseless before that under water had ceased to struggle, and to throw out air from its lungs. In two minutes and three quarters, the animal under water was quite dead: it was taken out and exposed to heat and air, but did not shew the slightest signs of life. At the end of three minutes and half, the animal in nitrous oxide began to gasp, breathing very slowly; at four minutes and three quarters it was yet alive; at the end of five minutes and quarter it appeared perfectly dead. It was taken out, and did not recover.
From these experiments it was evident, that animals lived at least twice as long in nitrous oxide as in hydrogene or water. Consequently from this circumstance alone, there was every reason to suppose that their death in nitrous oxide could not depend on the simple privation of atmospheric air; but that it was owing to some peculiar changes effected in the blood by the gas.
IV. Of the changes effected in the Organisation of
warm-blooded Animals, by the respiration
of Nitrous Oxide.
The external appearance of animals that have been destroyed in nitrous oxide, is very little different from that of those killed by privation of atmospheric air. The fauces and tongue appear of a dark red, and the eyes are dull, and a little protruded. Their internal organs, however, exhibit a very peculiar change. The lungs are pale brown red, and covered here and there with purple spots; the liver is of a very bright red, and the muscular fibre in general dark. Both the auricles and ventricles of the heart are filled with blood. The auricles contract for minutes after the death of the animal. The blood in the left ventricle, and the aorta, is of a tinge between purple and red, whilst that in the right ventricle is of a dark color, rather more purple than the venous blood. But these appearances, and their causes, will be better understood after the following comparative observations are read.
a. Of two similar rabbits, about eight months old, one A, was killed by exposure for near six minutes to nitrous oxide, the other, B, was destroyed by a blow on the head.
They were both opened as speedily as possible. The lungs of B were pale, and uniform in their appearance; this organ in A was redder, and every where marked with purple spots. The liver of A was of a dark and bright red, that of B of a pale red brown. The diaphragm of B, when cut, was strongly irritable; that of A rather darker, and scarce at all contractile. All the cavities of the heart contracted for more than 50 minutes in B. The auricles contracted for near 25 minutes with force and velocity in A: but the ventricles were almost inactive. The vena cava, and the right auricle, in A, were filled with blood, apparently a shade darker than in B. The blood in the left auricle, and the aorta, appeared in A of a purple, a shade brighter than that of the venous blood. In the left auricle of B it was red.
I opened the head of each, but not without injuring the brains, so that I was unable to make any accurate comparison. The color of the brain in A appeared rather darker than in B.
b. Two rabbits, C and D, were destroyed, C by immersion in nitrous oxide, D in hydrogene: they were both dissected by Dr. Kinglake. The blood in the pulmonary vein and the left auricle of C was of a different tinge, from that in D more inclined to purple red. The membrane of the lungs in C was covered with purple spots, that of D was pale and uniform in its appearance. The brain in C was rather darker than in D; but there was no perceptible effusion of blood into the ventricles either in D or C. The liver in C was of a brighter red than in health, that in D rather paler.
c. In the last experiment, the comparative irritability of the ventricles and auricles of the heart and the muscular fibre in the two animals, had not been examined. That these circumstances might be noticed, two rabbits, E and F were killed; E under water in about a minute, and F in nitrous oxide in three minutes. They were immediately opened, and after a minute, the appearance of the heart, and organs of respiration observed.
Both the right and left ventricles of the heart in F contracted but very feebly; the auricles regularly and quickly contracted; the aorta appeared perfectly full of blood. In E, a feeble contraction of the left sinus venosus and auricle was observed; the left ventricle did not contract: the right contracted, but more slowly than in F. In a few minutes, the contractions of the ventricles in F had ceased, whilst the auricles contracted as strongly and quickly as before. The blood in the pulmonary veins of F was rather of a redder purple than in E; the difference of the blood in the vena cava was hardly perceptible, perhaps it was a little more purple in F. The membranous substance of the lungs in F was spotted with purple as from extravasated blood, whilst that in E was pale. The brain in F was darker than in E. On opening the ventricles no extravasation of blood was perceptible. The auricles of the heart in F contracted strongly for near twenty minutes, and then gradually their motion became less frequent; in twenty-eight minutes it had wholly ceased. The right auricle and ventricle in E, occasionally contracted for half an hour. The livers of both animals were similar when they were first opened, of a dark red; that of F preserved its color for some time when exposed to the atmosphere; whilst that of E almost immediately became paler under the same circumstances.
The peristaltic motion continued for nearly an equal time in both animals.
d. The sternum of a young rabbit was removed so that the heart and lungs could be perceived, and he was introduced into a vessel filled with nitrous oxide; the blood in the pulmonary veins gradually became more purple, and the heart appeared to beat quicker than before, all the muscles contracting with great force. After he had been in about a minute, spots began to appear on the lungs, though the contractions of the heart became quicker and weaker; in three minutes and half he was quite dead; after death the ventricles contracted very feebly, though the contractions of the auricles were as strong almost after the end of five minutes as at first. This animal was passed through water saturated with nitrous oxide; possibly this fluid had some effect on his organs.
Besides these animals, many others, as guinea-pigs, mice and birds, were dissected after being destroyed in nitrous oxide; in all of them the same general appearance was observed. Their muscular fibre almost always appeared less irritable than that of animals destroyed, by organic læsion of part of the nervous system, in the atmosphere. The ventricles of the heart in general, contracted feebly and for a very short time; whilst the auricles continued to act for a great length of time. The lungs were dark in their appearance, and always suffused here and there with purple; the blood in the pulmonary veins when slightly observed, appeared dark, like venous blood, but when minutely examined, was evidently much more purple. The blood in the vena cava, was darker than that in the pulmonary veins. The cerebrum was dark.
In a late experiment, I thought I perceived a slight extravasation of blood in one of the ventricles of the brain in a rabbit destroyed in nitrous oxide; but as this appearance had not occurred in the animals I had examined before, or in those dissected by Dr. Kinglake, and Mr. King, Surgeon, I am inclined to refer it to an accidental cause. At my request, Mr. Smith, Surgeon, examined the brain of a young rabbit that had been killed in his presence in nitrous oxide; he was of opinion that no effusion of blood into the ventricles had taken place.
In comparing the external appearance of the crural nerves in two rabbits that had been dissected by Dr. Kinglake, having been destroyed one in hydrogene, the other in nitrous oxide, we could perceive no perceptible difference.
It deserves to be noticed, that whenever the gall bladder and the urinary bladder have been examined in animals destroyed in nitrous oxide, they have been always distended with fluid; which is hardly ever the case in animals killed by privation of atmospheric air.
In the infancy of my experiments on the action of nitrous oxide upon animals, I thought that it rendered the venous blood less coagulable; but this I now find to be a mistake. The blood from the pulmonary veins of animals killed in nitrous oxide, does not sensibly differ in this respect from the arterial blood of those destroyed in hydrogene, and both become vermilion nearly in the same time when exposed to the atmosphere.
In describing the various shades of color of the blood in the preceding observations on the different dissected animals, the poverty of the language of color, has obliged me to adopt terms, which I fear will hardly convey to the mind of the reader, distinct notions of the differences observable by minute examination in the venous and arterial blood of animals that die of privation of atmospheric air, and of those destroyed by the action of nitrous oxide. This difference can only be observed in the vessels by means of a strong light; it may however be easily noticed in the fluid blood by the introduction of it from the arteries or veins at the moment of their incision, between two polished surfaces of white glass,[186] so closely adapted to each other, as to prevent the blood from coming in contact with the atmosphere.
Having four or five times had an opportunity of bleeding people in the arm for trifling complaints, I have always received the blood in phials, filled with various gases, in a mode to be described hereafter. Venous blood agitated in nitrous oxide, compared with similar blood in common air, hydrogene, and nitrogene, was always darker and more purple than the first, and much brighter and more florid than the two last, which were not different in their color from venous blood, received between two surfaces of glass. It will be seen hereafter, that the coagulum of venous blood is rendered more purple when exposed to nitrous oxide, whilst the gas is absorbed; likewise that blood altered by nitrous oxide, is capable of being again rendered vermilion, by exposure to the air.
The appearances noticed in the above mentioned experiments, in the lungs of animals destroyed in nitrous oxide, are similar to those observed by Dr. Beddoes, in animals that had been made to breathe oxygene for a great length of time.
There were many reasons for supposing that the large purple spots in the lungs of animals destroyed in nitrous oxide, were owing to extravasation of venous blood from the capillary vessels; their coats being broken by the highly increased arterial action. To ascertain whether these phænomena existed at a period of the action of nitrous oxide, when the animal was recoverable by exposure to the atmosphere.
I introduced a rabbit of six months old, into a vessel of nitrous oxide, and after a minute, when it had fallen down apparently apoplectic, plunged him wholly under water; he immediately began to struggle, and what surprised me very much, died in less than a minute after submersion. On opening the thorax, the blood in the pulmonary veins was nearly of the color of that in animals that have been simply drowned. The lungs were here and there, marked with a few points; but there were no large purple spots, as in animals that have been wholly destroyed in nitrous oxide: the right side of the heart only contracted. In this experiment, the excitement from the action of the gas was probably carried to such an extent, as to produce indirect debility. There are reasons for supposing, that animals after having been excited to but a small extent by the respiration of nitrous oxide, will live under water for a greater length of time, than animals previously made to breathe common air.
V. Of the respiration of mixtures of Nitrous Oxide,
and other gases, by warm-blooded Animals.
a. A rabbit of near two months old, was introduced into a mixture of equal parts hydrogene and nitrous oxide through water. He immediately began to struggle; in a minute fell on his side; in three minutes gasped, and made long inspirations; and in four minutes and half, was dead. On dissection, he exhibited the same appearances as animals destroyed in nitrous oxide.
b. A large and strong mouse was introduced into a mixture of three parts hydrogene to one part nitrous oxide. He immediately began to struggle very much, in half a minute, became convulsed, and in about a minute, was quite dead.
c. Into a mixture of one oxygene, and three nitrous oxide, a small guinea-pig was introduced. He immediately began to struggle, and in two minutes reposed on his side, breathing very deeply. He made afterwards no violent muscular motion; but lived quietly for near fourteen minutes: at the end of which time, his legs were much convulsed. He was taken out, and recovered.
d. A mouse lived apparently without suffering, for near ten minutes, in a mixture of 1 atmospheric air, and 3 nitrous oxide, at the end of eleven minutes he began to struggle, and in thirteen minutes became much convulsed.
e. A cat of three months old, lived for seventeen minutes, in a very large quantity of a mixture of 1 atmospheric air, and 12 nitrous oxide. On her first introduction she was very much agitated and convulsed, in a minute and half she fell down as if apoplectic, and continued breathing very deeply during the remainder of the time, sometimes uttering very feeble cries. When taken out, she appeared almost inanimate, but on being laid before the fire, gradually began to breathe and move; being for some time, like most of the animals that have recovered after breathing nitrous oxide, convulsed on one side, and paralytic the other.
f. A goldfinch lived for near five minutes in a mixture of equal parts nitrous oxide and oxygene, without apparently suffering. Taken out, he appeared faint and languid, but finally recovered.[187]
VI. Recapitulation of facts relating to
the respiration of Nitrous Oxide,
by warm-blooded Animals.
1. Warm-blooded animals die in nitrous oxide infinitely sooner than in common air or oxygene; but not nearly in so short a time as in gases incapable of effecting positive changes in the venous blood, or in non-respirable gases.
2. The larger animals live longer in nitrous oxide than the smaller ones, and young animals die in it sooner than old ones of the same species.
3. When animals, after breathing nitrous oxide, are removed from it before compleat exhaustion has taken place, they are capable of being restored to health under the action of atmospheric air.
4. Peculiar changes are effected in the organs of animals by the respiration of nitrous oxide. In animals destroyed by it, the arterial blood is purple red, the lungs are covered with purple spots, both the hollow and compact muscles are apparently very inirritable, and the brain is dark colored.
5. Animals are destroyed by the respiration of mixtures of nitrous oxide and hydrogene nearly in the same time as by pure nitrous oxide; they are capable of living for a great length of time in nitrous oxide mingled with very minute quantities of oxygene or common air.
These facts will be reasoned upon in the next division.
VII. Of the respiration of Nitrous Oxide
by amphibious Animals.
As from the foregoing experiments, it appeared that the nitrous oxide destroyed warm-blooded animals by increasing the living action of their organs to such an extent, as finally to exhaust their irritability and sensibility; it was reasonable to conjecture that the cold-blooded animals, possessed of voluntary power over respiration, would so regulate the quantity of nitrous oxide applied to the blood in their lungs as to bear its action for a great length of time. This conjecture was put to the test of experiment; the following facts will prove its error.
a. Of two middle sized water-lizards, one was introduced into a small jar filled with nitrous oxide, over moist mercury, by being passed through the mercury; the other was made to breathe hydrogene, by being carried into it in the same manner.
The lizard in nitrous oxide, in two or three minutes, began to make violent motions, appeared very uneasy, and rolled about the jar in every direction, sometimes attempting to climb to the top of it. The animal in hydrogene was all this time very quiet, and crawled about the vessel without being apparently much affected. At the end of twelve minutes, the lizard in nitrous oxide was lying on his back seemingly dead; but on agitating the jar he moved a little; at the end of fifteen minutes he did not move on agitation, and his paws were resting on his belly. He was now taken out stiff and apparently lifeless, but after being exposed to the atmosphere for three or four minutes, took an inspiration, and moved his head a little; he then raised the end of his tail, though the middle of it was still stiff and did not bend when touched. His four legs remained close to his side, and were apparently useless; but on pricking them with the point of a lancet, they became convulsed. After being introduced into shallow water, he was able to crawl in a quarter of an hour, though his motions were very irregular. In an hour he was quite well. The animal in hydrogene appeared to have suffered very little in three quarters of an hour, and had raised himself against the side of the jar. At the end of an hour he was taken out, and very soon recovered.
b. Some hours after, the same lizards were again experimented upon. That which had been inserted into hydrogene in the last experiment, being now inserted into nitrous oxide.
This lizard was apparently lifeless in fourteen minutes, having tumbled and writhed himself very much during the first ten minutes. Taken out after being in twenty-five minutes, he did not recover. The other lizard lived in hydrogene for near an hour and quarter, taken out after an hour and twenty minutes, he was dead.
These animals were both opened, but the viscera of the nitrous oxide lizard were so much injured by the knife, that no accurate comparison of them with those of the other could be made, I thought that the lungs appeared rather redder.
c. Of two similar large water-lizards, one was introduced into a vessel standing over mercury, wholly filled with water that had been long boiled and suffered to cool under mercury.
The animal very often rose to the top of the jar as, if in search of air, during the first half hour; but shewed no other signs of uneasiness. At the end of three quarters of an hour, he became very weak, and appeared scarcely able to swim in the water. Taken out at the end of fifty minutes, he recovered.
The other was inserted into nitrous oxide. After much struggling, he became senseless in about fifteen minutes, and lay on his back. Taken out at the end of twenty minutes, he remained for a long time motionless and stiff, but in a quarter of an hour, began to move some of his limbs.
From these experiments, we may conclude, that water-lizards, and most probably the other amphibious animals, die in nitrous oxide in a much shorter time than in hydrogene or pure water; consequently their death in it cannot depend on the simple privation of atmospheric air.
At the season of the year in which this investigation was carried on, I was unable to procure frogs or toads. This I regret very much.
Supposing that cold-blooded animals die in nitrous oxide from positive changes effected in their blood by the gas, it would be extremely interesting to notice the apparent alterations taking place in their organs of respiration and circulation during its action, which could easily be done, the membranous substance of their lungs being transparent. The increase or diminution of the irritability of their muscular fibre, might be determined by comparative galvanic experiments.
VIII. Effects of solution of nitrous oxide
in water on Fishes.
a. A small flounder was introduced into a vessel filled with solution of nitrous oxide in water over mercury. He remained at rest for ten minutes and then began to move about the jar in different directions. In a half an hour he was apparently dying, lying on his side in the water. He was now taken out, and introduced into a vessel filled with water saturated with common air, he very soon recovered.
b. Of two large thornbacks,[188] equally brisk and lively. One, A, was introduced into a jar containing nearly 3 cubic inches of water, saturated with nitrous oxide, and which previous to its impregnation had been long boiled; the other, B, was introduced into an equal quantity of water which had been deprived of air by distillation through mercury.
A, appeared very quiet for two or three minutes, and then began to move up and down in the jar, as if agitated. In eight minutes his motions became very irregular, and he darted obliquely from one side of the jar to the other. In twelve minutes, he became still, and moved his gills very slowly. In fifteen minutes he appeared dead. After sixteen minutes he was taken out, but shewed no signs of life.
B was very quiet for four minutes and half. He then began to move about the jar. In seven minutes he had fallen on his back, but still continued to move his gills. In eleven minutes he was motionless; taken out after thirteen minutes, he did not recover.
c. Of two thornbacks, one, C was introduced into about an ounce of boiled water in contact with hydrogene, standing over mercury. The other, D, was introduced into well boiled water saturated with nitrous oxide, and standing in contact with it over mercury. C lived near thirteen minutes, and died without being previously much agitated. D was apparently motionless, after having the same affections as A in the last experiment, in sixteen minutes. At the end of this time he was taken out and introduced into common water. He soon began to move his gills, and in less than a quarter of an hour was so far recovered as to be able to swim.
The last experiment was repeated on two smaller thornbacks; that in the aqueous solution of nitrous oxide lived near seventeen minutes, that in the water in contact with hydrogene, about fifteen and half.
The experiments in [Res. I. Div. 3], prove the difficulty, and indeed almost impossibility of driving from water by boiling, the whole of the atmospheric air held in solution by it; they likewise show that nitrous oxide by its strong affinity for water, is capable of expelling air from that fluid after no more can be procured from it by ebullition.
Hence, if water saturated with nitrous oxide had no positive effects upon fishes; they ought to die in it much sooner than in water deprived of air by ebullition. From their living in it rather longer;[189] we may conclude, that they are destroyed not by privation of atmospheric air, but from some positive change effected in their blood by the gas.
A long while ago, from observing that the gills of fish became rather of a lighter red during their death, in the atmosphere; I conjectured that the disease of which they died, was probably hyperoxygenation of the blood connected with highly increased animal heat. For not only is oxygene presented to their blood in much larger quantities in atmospheric air than in its aqueous solution; but likewise, to use common language, in a state in which it contains much more latent heat. Without however laying any stress on this supposition, I had the curiosity to try whether thornbacks would live longest in atmospheric air or nitrous oxide. In one experiment, they appeared to die in them nearly in the same time. In another, the fish in nitrous oxide lived nearly half as long again as that in atmospheric air.
IX. Effects of Nitrous Oxide on Insects.
The winged insects furnished with breathing holes, become motionless in nitrous oxide very speedily; being however possessed of a certain voluntary power over respiration, they sometimes recover, after having been exposed to it for some minutes, under the action of atmospheric air.
A butterfly was introduced into a small jar, filled with pure nitrous oxide, over mercury, He struggled a little during the first two or three seconds; in about seven seconds, his legs became convulsed, and his wings were wrapt round his body; in about half a minute he was senseless; taken out after six minutes, he did not recover.
Another butterfly introduced into hydrogene, became convulsed in about a quarter of a minute, was senseless in twenty seconds, and taken out after five minutes, did not revive.
A large drone, after being in nitrous oxide for a minute and a quarter, was taken out senseless. After being for some time exposed to the atmosphere, he began to move, and at last rose on his wings. For some time, however, he was unable to fly in a straight line; and often after describing circles in the air, fell to the ground as if giddy.
A large fly, became motionless in nitrous oxide after being convulsed, in about half a minute. Another was rendered senseless in hydrogene, in less than a quarter of a minute.
A fly introduced into hydrocarbonate, dropt immediately senseless; taken out after about a quarter of a minute, he recovered; but like the fly that had lived after exposure to nitrous oxide, was for some time vertiginous.
Flies live much longer under water, alcohol, or oil, than in non-respirable gases, or gases incapable of supporting life. A certain quantity of air always continues attached in the fluid to the fine hairs surrounding their breathing holes, sufficient to support life for a short time.
Snails and earth-worms, live in nitrous oxide a long while, they die in it however, much sooner than in water or hydrogene; probably from the same causes as the amphibious animals.