The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-07-25
4 MEDICAL VIEW OF JUMPING.
q Boston journal That Thinks It Knows
All About 1t.


All About II.
The current number Of the Boston
Medical and Surgical Journal contains
an Interesting article upon the physi-
ology Of failing bodies" suggested by
the recent daring and fatal experiment
Of Robert Odlum in jumping from the
Brooklyn bridge. From the nature of
the case" it says. 1.-THE physiological
questions to considerable extent can
be answered only by priori reasoning.
For In fatal cases 1t must remain I'M
decided what was the proximate cause
of death and whether the heart stopped
beating before the body struck or not"
But there is little reason to doubt that
for the most part professional jumpers
have retained consciousness through
distances as great as 100 feet The
time occupied by Odlum In falling was
about three and one-fourth seconds,
and the rate Of motion Just before the
water was reached was not more than
one hundred feet per second. "a speed
not rarely egualed by railroad trains
and exceeded by ice-boats. He was
probably perfectly conscious, therefore,
at the moment Of striking the water.
Concerning the dangers of vertical
motion at a rapid rate of speed the
Medical and Surgical journal remarks:
The only way in which this motion
could have an effect greater than hori-
zontal motion at an equal rate would be
either by involving sudden change in
barometric pressure, or by accommodating
the blood in the brain through the Wis
inertia, the motion being in the direc-
ton of the long axis Of the body. As to
the former point, we may say that for
the height in question. at average tenn
peratures, the difference in the baro
metric record would be hardly more
than one-eighth Of an inch. OF course,
a change of pressure even to this
amount occurring in three seconds is
more rapid than one is ordinarily sub
jected to; but there seems no reason to
suppose the body could not accommo-
date itself to it, even if any effect were
produced in so short time. As to the
throwing of the blood back upon the
brain by the rapid motion in the direc-
ton of the feet, we know that persons
who are inexperienced in travelling often
sleep in railway trains with their feet
foremost without evil effects"
II is reasonably plain, therefore, II
this reasoning be correct, as it doubtless
is, that Odlum must have been killed by
the shock of the impact If he had
struck the water feet foremost he would
probably have escaped. But the journal
expresses doubt if any person, how
ever skillful, can maintain. unballasted,
vertical position through SO long a
once jumped from High Bridge into the
Harlem River and was taken up alive
may, it admits, be proof that inebriation
is better means of safety than DELHI
crate attempt to maintain equilibrium
But a parachute attachment upon the
head is recommended as the best means
to overcome the dangers of such trip.
The Journal combats strongly the the
DRY advanced since Odlum's fatal leap,
that he had nevertheless proved the
possibility of any person dropping a
considerable distance without danger to
life. On this point it says:
at does not, however, follow that be-
cause acrobats and sailors can drop 1870
feet or SO without losing consciousness
the same thing would hold true of all
persons falling from such a height. The
sensation of giddiness caused in inexpe-
rienced persons by high elevation
sometimes leads to syncope, and there
is no reason why the giddiness induced
by high altitude. when increased by the
terror of actually falling, may not cause
syncope, if not death. by shock, before
the conclusion comes. We have no
right to assume that what may happen
to cool, professional gymnast, taking
leap Intentionally, must happen in the
case of a man unused to giddy heights
falling accidentally Boston Adve,~
tiser.