The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-07-06
COLD g. THIRST IN THE ARTIC RE
GIONS

CAPTAIN PENNY's party had abundant expe
rience i'll the intensity OF cold, the temperature
they endured falling at one period below the
freezing point of mercury. Exercise in what
an Arctic voyager would call cold weather,
produces extreme thirst and abundant exhaa-
ton from the skill which, of course, freezes in
the shape Of boar frost under the clothes. Upon
this subject DR.. Sutherland says, 81 believe the
true cause of such intense thirst is the extreme
dryness or the air when the temperature is low.
In this state it extracts large amount of mois-
ture from the human body. The soft and ex-
tensive surface which the lungs expose, TWEEN
ty-ive times or o:tener every minute, to nearly
two hundred cubic inches of dry air, must
yield quantity ofvapor which one can hardly
spare vii mpunity. The human skin through.
out its whole extent, even where it is brought
to the hardness of horn, we'll the sofiest
and most delicate parts, is continually exhalng
vapor, and this exhalation creates, in due pro-
portion, demand for water. Let person but
examine the inside of his boots after walk in
the open air at low temperature, and accumu-
latIon of condensed vapor which he finds there
will convince him of the active state of the
skin. ! often found my stockings adhering to
the soles of my Kiby's boots after awalk of a
few hours. The hoarfrost and snow which
they contained could not have been there by
any other means except exhalatIon from the
skim To such thirst, snow in the mouth adds
only fresh torments. 1.-The use Of snow, when
persons are thirsty, does by any means allay
their in atiable desire for water on the con-
trary it appears to be increased in proportion
to he quantity used, and the frequency with
which it is put into the mouth. For example
person walking along feels intensely tn rsty
and he looks to his feet with coveting eyes, but
his good sense and firm resolutions are not to be
overcome SO easily, and he wthdraws the open
hand that was to grasp the delicious morsel, and
convey it into his parching mouth he has sew
rral miles OF a journey t. accomplish, and his
thirst is every moment increasing he is per-
spring profus ly, and feels quite hot and OPP
pressed at length his good resolutions stag
ger, and he par takes CT the smallest particle,
which duces a most exhara,ing effect in
less than ten minutes he tastes again and
again, always increasing the quantity, and ia
half an hour he has gunstick of condensed
snow, which masticates with avidity, and re-
places with assidnity the moment ii has melted
away bat his thirst is not allayed in the slight
est degree he is as hot as ever, and still per-
spires /; his mouth is in flames, and he is dri.
ven 10 the necessity of qnenching them with
snow, which adds fuel to the fire, the melting
snow ceas to please the pala'e, and il feels
Ike red-hot Goals, which like fire-eater, hr
shifts about with his tongue and swallows
without the addition of saliva he is in des-
pair, but habit has taken the place of reasoning
lacnl les, and he moves on with languid steps,
Iam-nring the severe fate which forces him To
presist in a practice which in an unguard ed
moment he allowed to begin Sutherland
TOyage.