The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-12-02
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Medical Intelligence.

The ArMosrHxnr, AND ITS RELATION TO ANIMAL AND
VEGETABLE LiPE.-We made few remarks some days
ago en- the importance of physiological information in
respect to the preservation of health andw then alud
cd toths want of due supply Of pure and wholesome
air, as being fertile source Of disease. Air, it well
known by every one, 10 essential the life Of animals
aud vegetables, also to the existence Of ordi-
nary combustion for without It no creature
can live, plant grow, no Hrs can burn
The atmosphere contains by weight parts oxygen
to 77Oo of azote and small Of carbonc acid gas
II also contains an almost un.pPrecabe quantity Of
buretted hydrogen gas which necessarily evolved by
stagnant waters and msrshes
in breathing, consumes nearly SIX hundred and
forty puts of oxygen gas from the amosphere during IL
hours making fourteen thousand four hundred inspra
tons and during the short time which elapsss between
an ham9. am in its cba.ssr The oxygen noron
it is distracted and united with the carbon, and in this
manner, on its expiration 1t re-sppears a. csroonic acid
ton Now constant supply OF fresh oxygenized air Is
as absolutely essential for the maintenance Of life as for
painfully sensible of this whenever they situated
az instance in small crowded rooms by the gidd
faintng and difficulty Of breathing that they exps
The beautiful method in which due supply Of oxygen
kept up and the caroonic acid &C. or rather
ing the duties assigned to BY nature Is one OF the sub
finest of the contrvances Of nature and We will in our
next give slight sketch of it, and from that will be easily
deducsd the banefu effects of vtated air In confined
rooms, schools, and overhsated churches
New AoENr FoR SusPESDINe NsRvous sFNeiBILiTY
DURING SURGICAL OPERArIoNs-The medical journals
Of two contain some detailed accounts OF
certain experiments tried in Boston with some peculiar
gases lately discovered there by which the ssnsiby
may be suspended for certain time even during the
performance eff severe surgical operations such con-
trvance certainly desi1eratum in the practice of sur
gerv should this prove all that its inventors say
will be great means Of allevating suffering We are
not that has yet been tried In this city II has
trust that publicity will be given to any good effects
that it may have.
The MEXICAN Wan AND ARMY suRoEors.-The letter
writers from Monterey appear to complain much Of the
scarcity Of medical men, and the consequent suhsng
This 10 rather singular and il to be hoped that this
Of things will last throughout the war If the
government were, at this present time to convene
board for the special purpose of candidates for
the Army Medical Department there doubt that
ample supply of fully qualified surgeons could be obtain
cd from among the large number of students who at this
time Of the year assembled in large Atlantic CT
ties Many, doubtless would be glad to accept commits
sions surgeons until the end Of the Mexican only
and thus governmentwould not be burhened with too
great a medical force when peace is declared We
would also suggest that board of examiners be
tablished to examine into the quail Of those
geons tho accompany the volunteer regiments, a. an
army surgeon in time of must be q surgeon indeed
or else he is worse than useless. E.