The Osceola times., 1884-09-20
LIFE IN HIGH LATITUDES.
some Of the Medical Aspects Of Greeiy's
Experience.
Medical Record.
Medical Record.


tain somewhat clearer insight into the
physiological and pathological effects o.
prolonged residence in the Polar regions
AZ well as the straits TO which the Greely
party were finally reduced.
He ascertained that such sojourn, by
inhabitants of warmer climates who are
in good physical trim, is for brief term
of years compatible with high state OF
all the organic functions, in which there
is entire freedom from diseased NANTES.
tations of every kind; but there is de.
cided limit to the endurance by Europe.
ans and Americans of such extreme pro-
longed cold the system is at first, and for
long time, by an admirable series of in
ternal adjustments, braoed up against the
rgors of climate, but after the first year
considerable deterioration in muscular
and nervods energy, and in the calori-
genous processes of the economy is ex-
perieuced. The severity of the second
wiuter was found by the party some
what harder to bear, but the experience
of the previous winter had taught them
how to fortify and protect themselves,
and husband their forces. The third
long Arctic night, in which thermometer
was never less than three below zero, and
much of the time was down to forty or
Ha,- lolou, ,,,o,lI ,,pIar tba ,,,not foyor
able circumstances have been painful
season to the party; vital reaction was
quite perceptibly lessencd, muscular tone
was impaired, rendering exertion diff
cult, and rheumatisms began to prevail.
Could the party, however, have had
plenty of food, and full and good shelter,
they wolud undoubtedly have all been
living at this day.
Lieut. Greedy, in reply to an interroga-
tory, affirmed his doubts as TO whether
his men, if well provlsloned, could have
continued to live at Fort Conger more
than five years. The constitution of the
average American is not capable of pro-
longed continuous adjustment TO more
than zero cold, and such accliantisation
could only come about after series of
generations where the law Of survival of
the fittest should operate, and in cores
pondence with a radical change in or
ganization, in which nutritive and mus
cular development should predominate
over cerebral development; in other
words, nature has shown us in the mem
tally dwarfed but physically hardy lis
quimaux, the type of organization best
fitted for living in those septentrional
latitudes 1t, however, is no less mat
ter of TACT that the inhabitants of meridi-
nal climes admirably adapt themselves
Temporarily to the most extreme cold.
In the retreat from Moscow, in 1912, the
Italian regiments stood the cold better
than the Germans, and notably better
than the Russians who were accustomed
to the climate. The Turks presented the
same relative immunity at the siege of
Sebastopoi. Longet, from whom these
facts are taken, remarks that the aptitude
tn. resist inclement temperature is acquir-
ed and lost in turn; that people nurtured
in temperate OF cold climates, who go to
the torrid zone to live, are much .ess
sensitive to the cold for time after their
return to their native country, though
this lessened susceptibility disappears
after year or two.
As man can live amid intense sur.
rounding cold only keeping his internal
temperature at 9S40 f., all the calorigen-
ous centres-which comprise every liv-
ing element or cell in every part of the
body-are stimulated to greatly augmen-
ted activity; the respiratory, digestive,
and assimilative processes are perform
ed with unwonted energy; the hearts
action and the circulation are notably
quickened. Lieut.. Greely remarked
that breathing air of such intense cold
ness had something of the effect produc-
ed by breathing pure oxygen; as for pull
nonary troubles he heard no complaint
of them while the party was at Fort Con-
ger, in Lady Franklin Pay, at latitude
of about 800, where the first two years
were spent; even simple catarrhs wer,
unknown, the only thing from which
the men suffered being occasional rheu
matisms and stiffness of the muscles and
Joints.
The party had ferocious appetites dur
ing all this long sojourn in the north
each man eating with relish three neal
of animal food and two lunches every
day, and craving fats, though not to thu
extent which some Arctic travellers re
port. Not even when the THERMOMETERS
marked 60o below zero did these men in
dulge in crude blubber or tallow candles
which TIA nj has designated as tb,
customary cd of Arctic voyagers; no
was even pemmican regarded as a rar,
and dainty dish by them. Canned
meats. of which they had an abundanc,
during the first two years, and steak .
ragout from the wslrus, seal or Pola
bear were priced as the essential condi
tions of well being. As for spirituous Ii
quors, they were used with great moder
alton and doled out to the members O
the expedition as occasion seemed to de
mand, and only when some unusual ex
ertion or exposure brought extraordin
AIRY fatigue or prostration; as means T.
fortify the system against cold or brac
IT up for forced marches, whisky, rum
and other alcoholic stimurants were re
garded ~ Of little benefit.
The party slept well during their lon
stay at the North, except during the las
few months of physiological lniser,