Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-09-17
Remarkable Effects OF Arctic Cold
ON Man.


Lieutenant Payer, the Austrian Arctic
explorer has been laying some Of the
results Of his explorations before the
Geographical Society of Vienna. Refer
ring to the influence OF extreme cold on
the human organism, he related that on
March IA, 1874, be and his companions
made sledge journey over the Semi
klsr glacier, in order to make sbserva-
tions Of Francis Joseph land. On that
day the cold marked SO deg Fab. below
zero. Notwithstanding this intense
cold, NJ. Payer and Tyrolese went out
before sunrise to make observations and
sketch.
The sunrise was magnificent; the sun
appeared surrounded, as it does at a
high degree Of cold, by small suns, and
its light appeared more dazzling from
the contrast with.the, extreme cold.
The travellers we're obliged to pour
rum down their throats so as not to
touch the edge Of the metal cups, which
would have been as dangerous as if they
had been red hot; but the rum had lost
all its strength and liquidity. and was as
fat and thick as oil.
1t was impossible to smoke either ci-
gars or tobacco in short pipes, for very
soon nothing but piece of ice remained
in the mouth.
The metal of the instruments was just
like red-hot iron to the touch, as were
some lockets, which some of the travel
ers, romantically but imprudently, CON
tlnued to wear next the skin.
M. Payer says that so great an amount
os cold psralyzes. the will, and that, un.
der its influence, men, from the unstead.
iness of thein gait, their stammering
talk, and the slowness of their mental
operations, seem as if they we're intoxi
Gated.
Another effect Of cold is tormenting
thirst, which is due to the evaporation
Of the moisture Of the body.
1t is unwholesome to use snsw tC
quench the thirst; it brings on inham.
nation Of the throat, palate and tongue
Besides, enough can never be taken tc
quench the thirst, as a temperature OF
3jl deg. to So deg. below zero Fab
makes it taste like molten metal. Snow
eaters in the north are considered al
feeble and efeminRte, in the same way
as is an opium eater in the east.
The group of travellers who traverseC
the snow. fields were surrounded By
thick vapors formed by the emanationi
from their bodies, which became con
densed, Notwithstanding the furs il
which the travellers were enveloped
These vapors fell to the ground, with {
slight noise, frozen into the form o
small crystals, and rendered the atmos
phere thick, impenetrable and dark.
Notwithstanding the humidity of tht
air, disagreeable sensation Of drynesl
was felt
Sound diffused itself to very long dis
tance, an ordinary conversation could bt
heard at a hundred PAGES off, while tht
report of guns from the tops of higl
mountains could scarcely be heard. NJ
Payer explains this phenomenon by tn,
large quantity of moisture in the arctic
atmosphere.
Meat could be chopped, and mercury
used In the shape OF balls.
Both smell and taste become greatly
enfeebled in these latitudes; sti engtI
gives way under the paralyzing inAu
ence of the cold; the eyes involnntaril!
close and become frozen.
When locomotion stops the sole of thu
foot becomes insensible.
1t is somewhat curious that the bearC
does not freeze; but this is explained
from the air expired, falling being i'm
mediately transformed into snow. Th,
cold causes dark boards to becom,
lighter; the seoretions of the eyes anC
nose always increases, while the forma
tiou ofthe perspiration altogether ceases
The only possible protection agains
the cold is to be very warmly clothed
and to endeavor as much as possible t
prevent the condensation of the atmos
phere, while the much vaunted plans o
amounting and blackening the body ar,
pronounced to have no real value.