Physiological Researches on Life and DeathBichat, Xavier
Science
Physiological Researches on Life and Death
Bichat, Xavier
Death (Biology); Life (Biology)
In my different experiments with regard to asphyxia, I have
remarked, that if after shutting the cock of the syringe, the
animal agitate the chest by similar movements to those of
inspiration and expiration, the blood is a longer time in losing
its red colour, than in the case where the breast remains at rest.
Such motion and agitation must cause a circulation of air in the
cells, in consequence of which, a greater number of its points must
be presented to the circulating fluid. My experiments which I shall
presently detail on the breathing of animals in bladders, will
prove the truth of the above explanation.
At present I pass to a contrary set of phenomena--to those which
are exemplified when the blood regains its arterial colour during
the period, which, from a state of asphyxia, restores the animal to
life.
1st. When the cock, which for some minutes has been shut, is
opened, the air immediately penetrates into the bronchiæ; but
previously the animal expires strongly. Six or seven large
inspirations and expirations follow each other precipitately. The
artery being now examined, a jet of a very vivid colour is seen
succeeding to the efflux of black blood, and takes place in thirty
seconds at most, from the time of opening the tube. This is the
inverse of the phenomenon above described. There are no successive
shades perceived from black to red; the passage is instantaneous.
The brightness of the colour seems even to be greater than is
natural.
2dly. If instead of suddenly turning the cock, a very strong stream
of air only be admitted, the colour is less lively indeed, but just
as quickly regained.
3dly. If there be adapted to the stop-cock a syringe full of air,
and this fluid be pushed into the lungs, on opening the pipe, and
then the pipe be suddenly shut again, the blood will become red,
but much less evidently so, than when the entrance of the air is
owing to voluntary inspiration. Here the portion of air injected
must repel into the bottom of the cells whatever is already
vitiated, while on the contrary, if the tube be simply opened, the
vitiated air is at once rejected, and then replaced from without.
The following experiment appears to confirm this idea.
4thly. If instead of pushing air upon that which is contained in
the lungs, we pump out the vitiated air in the first place, and
then inflate the organ, the colouring process will be more rapid,
and the colour of the blood itself especially, more lively than in
the preceding case, though less so than in the first of this latter
suite of experiments.
5thly. The lungs being exposed on both sides by a lateral section
of the ribs, the circulation will continue to go on for a certain
time. Now, if by means of a syringe adapted to the stop-cock in
the trachea, the pulmonary vesicles be alternately emptied and
dilated, the changes from red to black, and from black to red, will
be observed as in the above experiment, as long as the circulation
lasts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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