The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-02-01
I3xuerimenfs III antoxicati0n-

Il D&NG&AU4fH4E III XM&0A4Nt4AtWa4<
\ Az rule, the dream of the other
/ effrinker. while he is under the spell OF
this euchantreas, is far more refined and
lligft than the dream of the alcoholic, as
1 that liz usually described by those who
have felt it, Sir Humphrey f)avy, in
! his memorable perfect and original work
on nitrous oxide, Dr laughing gas, strikes
a contrast between the action of that
gas and 0f alcohol on mind and body.
For the sake of experiment, Sir Hum
yphrey subjected himsel systematicsllyse
an Intoxicating draught of alcohol. He
drank a lbottletof wine IN large tiraughts
in less than eight minutes, While he
was drinking he felt sense of fullness
in his head and throbbing of the arteries.
After he had taken 1.-THE wine the sense
gof fuliness remained, objects around him
became dazzling, the power of distinct
articulation was lost, and he was unable
to walk steadily. At this moment his
sensations were rather pleasurable than
otherwise; the scnse of fullness i'm the
head SOON, however, Increased so as to
become painful and IN less than an hour
he had lapsed into astate of Iinsensibility,
in which situation he remained for two
hours or two hours and a half. He was
awakened by headache and painful man.
ssa. The nausea continued even after
the contents i0t the stomach had been
iejected. The pain in the head every
minute increased; he was neither fewer
ish nor thirsty; his bodily and mental
debility were excessive, and his pulse
feeble and quick. In most precise terms
the acute effects from alcohol are here
faithfully depicted by one of the finest
observers of natural phenomena. The
description reads in a still more striking
form when it lis compared with that of
an intoxication produced by nitrous
oxide gas in the same observer. The
description of the intoxication from nj
trous oxide is taken again from a direct
Sir Humphrey Ibreashed nitrous oxide
for "a Icing time in q closed chamber, and
felt some effects, which he has chron-
icled:; but lit was not until after that the
full realization of his new life was ex-
pefienced. After leaving his 'sbox," lin
which he had been breathing the gas, he \
began to reapire twenty quarts of the 4
pure gas, and tthereupon the change of
life began, He felt sense of tangible 4
extension in every limb; his visible i'm 4
pressions were dazzling and apparently
he heard distinctly every
sonnd in the room, and was perfectly |
aware of his situation. BY degrees, as
the spleasurable sensations increased, he 4
oss ali connection with external things;
rains of vivid visible images rapidly
passed through his mind, and were con-
1ected with wordsiin such a manner as
10 produce perceptions perfectly novel.
he existed ina world of newly connected
md newly modified ideas. He theorized;;
he imagined that he made discoveries, |
When he was iawakenea from his semi.
ielirous trance lby his friend DIR. King
axe, who took the iinhaling bag from his
mouth, indignation and pride were the
irst feelings produced by the sight of
he persons about him. His emotions
we're enthusiastic and sublime, and for a
minute he walked around the room per-
ectly regardless of what was said to
lin. As he recovered his fofmer state
II mind he felt an incination to CON-
the discoveries he had made
Turing the experiment. He endeavored
o recall the ideas, but they were feeble 4
md iindistinct. One collection of terms,
however, presented itself, and, with the
most intense belief and prophetic man
Ter, he explained to DIR. Kinglake
Nothing exists but tthonghtsi the uni.
lerse lie composed of impressions, ideas.
md gpainst!o In this narrative we have
description of an iutoxication refined
o the extremest degree, from which re-
osery was rapid, with pleasnrable sen-
atoms. It, too, lie an INVESTIGATION, the
labit ,of which il easily acquired and
raved after. Sir Humphrey Davy was
strong minded man by nature, brave,
es3lute, wise, selfsacfifcipg. Vet, after
e had become somewhat Ihatitnated to
he taking of nitrous oxide for lexperi-
aant's sake, he was led 10 make q cen
sssien that "a desire 10 breathe the gas
1as always awakenedii in himEby the sight
I q person breathing, or even by that cot
n aifibag or gas-holder:"
Wonders of America.