On the anaesthetic properties of the Lycoperdon proteus, or common puff-ball / by Benjamin W. Richardson.

  • Richardson, Sir Benjamin Ward, (1828-1897)
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the anaesthetic properties of the Lycoperdon proteus, or common puff-ball / by Benjamin W. Richardson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    It occurred to me to give the narcotic in connexion with oxygen gas: the fungus was therefore burned in oxygen, and the dense fumes produced were clarified by caustic potash, and were passed into the glass bell, together with some free oxygen. A young cat was placed under the bell: she became uneasy in thirty seconds, and was fairly narcotized in a minute and a half. On removing her from the glass, the respirations were forty-six per minute, and the insensibility of the body was perfect. She recovered in four minutes, and ran out of the room. It was a matter of some importance to ascertain if the narcotic principle of the fumes of the fungus would be given up to any fluid substance through which they might be passed. Yesterday, therefore, the fumes arising from the burning fun- gus, mixed with a large quantity of atmospheric air, were first driven through caustic potash, and then, in this diluted state, were passed, through alcohol, into a glass bell. A kitten placed under the bell soon became uneasy, at the end of an hour was taken out insensible, and recovered slowly. I have intentionally destroyed a great many animals with the narcotic, in order to observe how it would produce death. The respirations fail in a gradual and progressive manner, until they cease altogether, and the breathing sounds are dry and loud. The pupil is usually dilated and fixed for several minutes previous to absolute death. The temperature of the body sinks slowly. The heart continues to beat quickly for some time after respiration has ceased. The blood is always red, and generally not readily coagu- iable; but in a cat which had breathed oxygen gas with the narcotic, it coagulated with great rapidity. The lungs are of a pale or pink colour, never congested, nor is there con- gestion of any other internal organ. The heart is empty of blood in most cases; and its contractions may be ex- cited for long intervals of time. The respiratory muscles