REGNAULT, V. (HENRI VICTOR) et J. REISET. - INSPIRING JULES VERNE - THE "RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT"

Recherches chimiques sur la Respiration des Animaux des diverses Classes.

(Paris, Victor Masson, 1849). Without wrappers. In: "Annales de Chimie et de Physique", Troisieme Series - Tome 26. Cahier 3-4. Pp. 299-528 a. 2 folded engraved plates, showing apparatus used.(Entire issues offered). The joint paper takes up both issues. With half-title to tome 26.

First appearance of this classic paper, which contains extensive comparative studies of respiration and calorimetry. They refined Lavoisier's experiments on measuring the oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production of animals and calculated the first good ratios of what came to be called the "RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT". It was the use of the apparatus and methods developed here, that enabled scientists the world over to gain some understanding of utilization of energy by many different animals.

The inspiration for the space age scientific novel by JULES VERNE "De la Terre a la Lune" (1865) was based on the methods described by Regnault and Reiset in this paper to provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide produced by men, dogs and chickens in the "projectile". The paper is cited several times in this famous novel.

The species study in the Regnault and Reiset collaboration included warm-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats, and rabbits as well as hibernating and non-hibernating marmots. Cold-blooded animals , such as frogs, salamanders, reptiles and lizards were also described...In over 100 experiments their assays included the effects of temperature, season, diet, level of nutrition, compositionof air, sex, hibernation, age, body weights and other variables onrespiratory exchange and nitrogen exhalation or absorption (Based on W. Flatt & W. Payne).

Garrison & Morton: 932.

Order-nr.: 46006