Vide Remarks on the Gaseous Oxyd of Azote, by Samuel Latham Mitchill, M. D.
[224] In the former experiments, Mr. Southey generally respired six quarts, now he is unable to consume two.
In an experiment made since this paper was drawn up, the effect was rather pleasurable.
[225] The doses in these experiments were from five to seven quarts.
[226] Of the facts on which Brown founded his law of indirect debility, no prudent man will lose sight either in practising or studying medicine. They are incontrovertible.—And our new facts may doubtless be conciliated to the Brunonian doctrine.
But to suppose that the expenditure of a quality or a substance or a spirit, and its renewal or accumulation are the general principles of animal phænomena, seems to me a grievous and baneful error. I believe it often happens that excitement and excitability increase, and that they oftener decrease together;—In short, without generalizing in a manner, of which Brown and similar theorists had no conception, our notions of the living world will in my opinion, continue to be as confused as the elements are said to have been in chaos. On some future occasion, I may presume to point out the region through which I imagine the path to wind, that will lead the observers of some distant generation to a point, whence they may enjoy a view of the subtle, busy and intricate movements of the organic creation as clear as Newton obtained of the movements of the heavenly masses.
[227] After writing this, I was present when an invalid, in whose foot the gout, after much wandering, had at last fixed, breathed 12 quarts of oxygene gas. While breathing, he eagerly pointed to the inflamed leg; and afterwards said he had felt in it a new sensation, somewhat like tension.—I never had seen oxygene respired where there was so much local inflammation.
June 18. After four quarts of oxygene with 6 of nitrous oxide and then 6 of nitrous oxide alone, violent itching of the wounds made by the leech; and redness and tumour.—Both had healed, and I did not expect to feel any thing more from them.—I tried this again with two doses of nitrous oxide—The yellow halo round one wound changed to crimson, and there was so much stinging and swelling that I feared suppuration.—Absorption here was rapid.
[228] See Dr. Beddoes’s Considerations, part 1. page 26. His observations in the note in the last section, will likewise apply here.—Is not healthy living action dependant upon a certain equilibrium between the principles supplied to the blood by the pulmonary veins from respiration and by the lymphatics from absorption? Does not sensibility more immediately depend upon respiration? Deprive an animal under stimulation, of air, and it instantly dies; probably if absorption could be prevented, it would likewise speedily die. It would be curious to try whether intoxication from fermented liquors cannot be prevented by breathing during their operation, an atmosphere deprived of part of its oxygene.
[229] Sublime emotion with regard to natural objects, is generally produced by the connection of the pleasure of beauty with the passion of fear.