The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-08-26
Remarkable Effects of Arctic Cold on
Man.

Lieutcnant 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 II, 1874, he and his companions
made slodge journey over the Semi
klar glacier, in order to make observa
tiors of Francis Joseph land. On that
day the cold marked So deg. Fab. be-
low 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 n
high degree of cold, by small suns, and
its light appeared more dazzling from
the contrast with the extreme cold.
The travellers were obliged to pour
rum down their throats 80 as not to
touch the edge of the metal cups, which
would have been rs dangerous as if they
had been red hot but the rum had lost
all its strength and liquidity, and was
as flat and as thick as oil.
II was impossible to smoke either ci-
gars or tobacco in short pipes, for very
soon nothing but piece of ice remained
in the mouth.
Tho 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-
tinued to wear next the skin.
M, Payer says that no great an amount
of cold pNralyzes the will, and that, I'M
der its influence, men, from the instead
mess Of their gait, their stammering
talk, and the slowness of their mental
operations, seem as if they were intoxi-
Gated.
Another eject of cold is tormenting
thirst, which is due to the evaporation
Of the moisture of the body.
IL is unwholesome to use snow to
quench the thirst; it brings on inflam-
nation of the throat, palate, and tongue.
Besides, enough can never be taken to
quench the thirst, MS temperature of
49, deg. to 5S deg. below zero Fab. |
makes it taste like molten metal. Snow |
eaters in tho north are considered as
feeble and eileminate, in the same way
as is an opium eater in the east.
The group of travellers who traversed
the snow fields were surrounded by
thick vapors formed by the emanations
from their bodies, which became con-
lensed Notwithstanding tho furs in
which the travellers were enveloped.
These vapors fell to the ground, with
slight noise, frozen into the form of
small crystals, and rendered the atmos-
phere thick, impenetrable, and dark.
Notwithstanding the humidity of the
air, disagreeable sensation OF dryness
was felt.
Sound diirused itself to very long dis
tance, m ordinary conversation could be
heard a. hundred PAGES off, while the
report of guns from the tops of high |
could scarcely be heard. Nj.
Payer explains this phenomenon by the
large quantity of moisture in the rctic
Meat could be chopped, and mercury
used in the shape of balls.
Both smell and taste become greatly
in these ATTITUDES strength
gives way under the paralyzing inhu
snce of the cold the eyes involuntarily
close and become frozen.
When locomotion stops, the sole OF
he foot becomes insensible.
1t is somewhat curious that the beard
loes freeze but this is explained from
he air expired, falling, being immedi-
Itely transformed into snow. The cold
,auses dark boards to become lighter
he secretions of the eyes and nose al
Ways increases, while the formation OF
he perspiration altogether ceases.
The only possible protection against
he cold is to bs very warmly clothed,
md to endeavor as much as possible to
prevent the condensation OF the atmos-
,here, while the much yaunted plans OF
.nointing and blackening the body are
pronounced to have no real value.