Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-08-27

combustion at once. Vegetables absorb carbonie aoiu gus, and throw out oxygen, which is essential 10 anlnal life and combustion. What a wonderful provision ot nature, nanifesting the goodness of tod 10 man, and his mhdfulness of him Its effects on 'he annal frame wonderful. It parayses the muscular system at once, by suspending respi- ration and the acting ofthe heart the blood becomes black and ceases to mpart its vitalizng energies to the frame; the brain is often engorged and assumes complete state of apopexy. This deIeterious gas has great affinity for water and for lime and com l blnes readily with them whenever brought into con tact' The limestone ofour country is combination ot ms acld with lime, producing q carbonate of me and when heat IS applied to it, as in lime kiln. the acld IS driven on in the form of gas and falls around the Kim, often 10 the injury and even death of those who sleep near il when igned. This gas is also thrown out of the lungs in respiration, which is ca silly proved by experiment. Take a wine glass full oi llme-waer, put end of quill in it, and the other Tn your mouth, and breathe through it; you VIII ma that directly the water becomes turbd and n pTeclpltate ensues, which is carbonate of lime h Italy near the lake Avernus IS a grotto called the urotto del Cano which emits from it's mouth dense stratum of carbonic acid gas of about three feet Tn thickness. The ancients considered this the mouth oi hell and travellers who have visited this srotto are often amused by an experiment made on d dos py the peasants who attend them They bring a dog Into the mouth of the grotto as soon as he iR'iaes the gas, his animation is suspended he falls apparently dead and would soon cease to exist if permitted to remain in that situation. But they take hln up by the heels, and throw him into Lake Aver nus, which resuscates him at once. His restora- ton IS the result of his removal without the influence of the gas, and also the powerful effects of cold wa ter apfled to him. No remedy exercises so power ful an influence on the human frame in of As Phxa as sSe e9ld ha or electricity In intoxcaton from hala0n of poisonous gases, cold water dashed with iore and literally over the head and body. arouses them instantly. In all these cases apoplexy is the result-a violent and dangerous engagement of the brain, requiring the of the lancet and cold ap- pllcations to the head
 No person should ever risk their life in descending well, until they have ascertaned whether it is filled with carbonic gas, They will ascertain it by letting down candle slowly. If the air is pure and can sustain animal lile it will continue to burn; but if 1t IS extlnguished the fact is indisputabe that this gas does exist, and that life cannot be sustained. To remove it from the well the following plan must be adopted Throw down a dozen buckets of cold water; or let down bucket containing lime slightly molstened, which will absorb the gas as may be known by the candle, aher this process, continuing to burn.
 Before closing ihis communication, I wish to make a remark with regard to habit that is sometimes observed in the winter season. by many persons sleeping in rooms that close or not provided with lreplaces, viz. of warming their room by pan Of coas, or charcoal placed in the middle of the room. It is highly dangerous expedent, and one never sanctioned under any circumstances. During combustion of coal large quantities of this gas are thrown out, filling the whole room with it; and if sufficiently concentrated will as certainly destroy the lives of those nholing it as electricity, A candle burning in room in hot weather, destroys the pu- ry of the atmosphere in it. and renders sleep and disturbed. Many persons sleeping together m the same room, closed not to per mi ventilation, exhaust, by respiration the purity of its atmosphere, and emanate from their lungs car bonic acid gas, in place of the oxygen inhaled. It has no sensible properties, and is only known by its effects. may be obtained in the following manner. Fill bottle with water, and immerge the mouth of it open into the bung of il beer barrel, filled with beer, ale, or any liquor in state of fermentation. The gas, as it escapes from the barrel will displace the water in the bottle. It is remarkable property Of this gas that while it perncios to the lungs, il is extremely grateful to the stomach and one of the best remedies to allay its irritablity.
 MEDICUS.