Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-02
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
FHE MOTIVE POWER OF THE CIRCULATION OF
THE BLOOD.-No. vi.
IooSrmuEp FROM rHR PRECEDING PAGE ]

0t De remembered that Two positively or TWO negative
~ electrified substances repel while positive aud
saive attract each other or, in other words, equally
electrified bodies repe but unequslly electrified bodies
each other aud that different bodies have varying
capacities for neutrality-suspicious. refusing receive
and conductors receiving readily any increase of
Seity into their substance and the latter yielding again
any surplus as readily as they receive it.
II has been already stated that Prof Draper has proved
By direct experiments that the interchange between car
homie acid and atmospheric air in the air cells lungs
cannot be accomplished by natural diffusion of these two
gases in the time intervening between inspiration and
expiration and hence the Professor assumes that there
must exist in the walls of the air cells themselves ex-
eedingy delicate muscles which, stimulated by the car
homie acid contract and expe making room for another
Eraught of atmospheric air The only objections against
this assumption are that the existence Of such muscles
mas never been anatomicay demonstrated that cabonc
acid destroys muscular irritablity instead Of exciting
muscular action and the fact that they unnecessary
little reflection will convince any person that the con-
sracon Of the muscles of the thoraz and Of the diaphragm
cannot be the agents expe the carbono acid from the
mir cells the Professor has shown but ifany evidence
wanting, it is found in the effects produced by drink
Sug vine in state of fermentation, stated by Liebg,
10 his Organic Chemistry PIP. lis. ll6 Fermentation is
process of slow combustion; the oxygen Of the air
aning with the carbon Of the fermenting substance pro-
SGces carbonic acid and evolves heat II person drink
uHe IN the state OF fermentation the heat of the stomach
increases the fermentation, it does in animals eating
clover the carbonc acid permeaes all the tissues between
tie cavity of the stomach aud the lungs and enters the
air cells; and the person dies IN all the agony Of person
breathing an rresprable gas neither the lungs the
contraction of the muscles Of the thorax being able to
pei tae superintendent supply that enters them That
tis gas passes through oil the intermediate tissues into
the air cells is proved by the fact that the inhalation Of
ammonia, which combines with this gas and forms carbo
rate Of ammonia is the best remedy against this kind Of
poisoning
Prof Draper has proved that the endosmoe and exos-
mosc the interchange Of liquids gases depends
cusively the relative electrical condition both of the
substance through which it takes place and of the
changing fluids in lfeess matter; but when he
speaks of the living organism he forget this
ss1al condition He has shown that unless the substance
used as barrier between endosmosng and exosmosirg
Eauias gases the fluids both sides Of it, and
unless the individual atoms Of each fluid have recipro
cal attraction for the atoms of the other that they
tualy duse among the atoms of each other at the
time they passing through the barrier between them
no endcsmoss or exosnosis take place Lebg also
demonstrates this in his work the Motion Of the Juices
and it is certainly pertinent ask why is not this condi
ton essential in organic as in inorganic matter! But
Of this they have lost sight altogether Prof Mateucc
that supply the lungs with electricity be divid
ed, the respiratory movements become disturbed
and at the slime all the blood preserves its black
character and the lips the nosrls and the pharynx Of
the animal lose their red tint It appears them essential
to the performance of respiration that only the
te that constitutes the air cells but also gases be
exchanged in them well the blood itself and the air
IT the atmosphere should be 10 corresponding electrical
condition. Keeping these facts in mind, and also that
the atmosphere always contains less free eecr-
city, shown by practical electricians there be
difficulty in understanding the process Of respiration.
The free electricity of the atmosphere aud the pneu-
rnegastrc nerves keep the lungs constantly in positive
state with regard to other parts of the body and the fluids
circulating in it and particularly with regard to the
blood and the carbouc acid dissolved in it. The
consequence Of this electrical inequality between the lungs,
the catonic acid the blood and the oxygen is the at
cton of the blood and the gases the air cells Of the
suogs the Of the carbonc acid from and the
endosmoe Of the oxygen into the pulmonary capiiares
and in this process the oxygen and nitrogen, Of which at
uaspheric air is composed separated and addi
tsnal quantity Of electricity set Free which contributes
70 maintain the lungs in positive state While the
Tenons blood oeing negative and the lungs positive) is
1s attracted by and crcuates through the pulmonary
capillaries it becomes and positive in proper
Eon it receives electricity from them, TILL becoming
equally positive with them it is repealed and expelled in
70 the arteries which, being positive than the veins
attract it while the valves of the heart and veins of
witch the pora alone is destitute, having capla-
res al both ends and consequently needing money
us return If be now remembered that the motion Of
uids peculiarly favorable endosmose and exosmose,
he wonder at the rapidly with which these gaseous
changes takes place in the lungs may be abated But
las been proved that the contraction Of the ntercosa
muscles and diaphragm cannot expel the carbonic acid
From the lungs and this phenomenon still requires expa
nation Carbonic acid is of those pon-conducting
substances which, like platinum and water admit of the
concentration within their substance Of much larger
uanaty Of electricity than they permanently hold,
and yield j. again as easily when they approach sub
stance that minus. Now, the carbonic acid peculiarly
Tavoraby crcumstauced during its passage through the
walls OF the air cells TO receive extra quantity of cleo
city from that which is set free by the decomposition
OF the atmospheric air. which is known to take place in
the lungs and when it has received enough to make it
equally positive with them the air cells repel and expe
Il; while the atmospheric dir before decomposition and
the oxygen after decomposition less positive than the
l1ngs and consequently attracted by them That this
theory appears from the fact that the minute
air cells found to contain less carbonc acid in
az iastant death from lightning Sc than the larger
arcachi2.
Prof Faraday Gays electricity gives bodies their pro-
perties and is the with chemical affinity Hence
il follows that wherever chemical action goes on eectr
Sy is the agent that produces this action and ehsioa
writer's state accordingly that wherever chemical actor
electricity always set free. But this electricity
often manifess itself more in the form Of heat than il
tant Of current is the in the condensation Of
mixture Of oxygen and hydrogen into water during whc
haraday says immense amount Of electricity is know
70 &c active, and yet be detected cit
also generally admitted that force of which