A chemico-physiological essay : disproving the existence of an aeriform function in the skin, and pointing out, by experiment, the impropriety of ascribing absorption to the external surface of the human body / by Joseph Klapp.

  • Klapp, Joseph.
Date:
1805
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A chemico-physiological essay : disproving the existence of an aeriform function in the skin, and pointing out, by experiment, the impropriety of ascribing absorption to the external surface of the human body / by Joseph Klapp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    In order to discover whether, or not, fixed air be removed from the external surface, by cutaneous obsorbents, the follow- ing experiment was made. EXPERIMENT 7. Thermometer 61° Five ounce measures of carbonic acid, obtained from carbo- uat of lime, by diluted sulphuric acid, were transmitted into a glass vessel, previously filled and inverted in quicksilver ; my hand and wrist were then introduced into it and kept in this situation for three hours. The volume of air was next attend- ed to, in order to accomplish the object of the experiment; it was found diminished in quantity only about half a drachm. The removal of which, I do not hesitate to ascribe to the combination of the carbonic acid with the perspirable fluid ; as my hand, when removed from the inverted vessel, was consi- derably moistened by this discharge. When we call to mind the affinity that naturally subsists between aqueous substances and this acid gas, the effect which we have mentioned is what ought to be expected ; besides, it is highly improbable that the skin, even if it were endowed with the power of absorption, would inhale carbonic acid which is thrown out by the lungs, as excrementitious, from the system, and refuse to absorb oxy- gen air, confessedly the pabulum vitse, as was the case in expe- riments 5 th and 6th. The experiments are now related, which have created, in my own mind, a firm belief, that a few physiologists, for whose talents in the science of medicine, I shall still cherish the high- est sentiments of respect, have, from the illusion of unibrseen circumstances, which often render of no avail the best directed enquiries, erroneously imputed an jeriform function to the skin. It is to Mr. Abernethy, whose pre-eminent abilities and in- dustry have long entitled him to the first rank in his profes- sion, that we are indebted for the best mode heretofore used in