Physiological Researches on Life and DeathBichat, Xavier
Science
Physiological Researches on Life and Death
Bichat, Xavier
Death (Biology); Life (Biology)
From this reflection, I was induced to repeat my experiments
upon the injection of black blood, suspecting as I did that some
small quantity of air might in these cases have been contained
in the extremity of my syringe. I soon however recollected that
if this cause were real, it should produce the same effect in
every instance whatever were the fluid employed, now when water is
injected there is nothing of the kind observable.
We may be thus assured that the black blood is either incapable
of keeping up the action of the brain, or that it acts in a
deleterious manner upon that organ, from the very nature of the
principles, which it contains. From such datum it should appear
that the life of the asphyxiated person might be restored, by
pushing on into the brain a sufficient quantity of arterial blood,
but here we must make a distinction of two periods in asphyxia:
1st. That in which the cerebral functions are only suspended: 2dly.
That in which the circulation and the movements of the breast are
stopped (for this disease is ever characterised by the sudden loss
of all animal life, and consecutively by that of the organic life.)
Now, as long as the first period of asphyxia continues, I have
observed that, by the transfusion of red blood into the brain, from
the heart of another animal, the movement of the creature which
is dying will be restored by degrees, and the cerebral functions
resume in part their activity; but this is only a temporary thing,
and the animal will fall again into its previous dying state, if
the asphyxiating cause be continued.
On the other hand, if during the first period, to which we have
alluded, the air be readmitted, into the trachea, the lungs will
be reanimated, the blood be coloured, and the creature be revived
without the assistance of any transfusion; and such transfusion
again is of no avail, after the second period of asphyxia, so that
this experiment offers only a proof of what we already know; with
respect to the difference of the influence of arterial and venous
blood upon the brain, and not a remedy in case of asphyxia.
Again, whenever I have injected venous blood into the brain, by the
help of a syringe, I have universally found that such proceeding
is fatal. Though the cause of asphyxia be removed, and arterial
blood injected, either with the syringe, or immediately from the
heart of another animal, it is of little effect, and frequently
of none whatever. And in general asphyxia when produced by blood,
which has been taken from the venous system itself and pushed into
the brain is much more certain and more decided, than that which
is occasioned by ligature of the trachea, or the introduction of
different gases into the lungs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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