The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-09-19
A MEDICAL VIEW OF JUMPING.
A Boston journal That Thinks 1t Knows
All About IL.

A Boston journal That Thinks 1t Knows
All About 1t.
The current number of the Boston
Medical and Surgical journal contains
an interesting article upon the physi-
ology of falling bodies" suggested by
the recent daring and fatal experiment
of Robert Odlum in jumping from the
Brooklyn bridge. "From the nature of
the case,r it says, 1.-THE physiological
questions to considerable extent can
be answered only by priori reasoning.
For in fatal cases it 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 equaled 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 moro
than one-eighth of an inch. Of course,
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 tc
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"
1t is reasonably plain, therefore, il
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
descent. The fact that drunken man
once jumped from High Bridge into the
Harlem River and was taken up alive
may, it admits, be proof that inebriatiou
is a better means of safety than DELHI
crate attempt to maintain equilibrium.
But parachute attachment upon the
head is recommended as the best means
to overcome the dangers of such trip.
/ The Journal combats strongly the the
ory advanced since Odlum's fatal leap,
that he had nevertheless proved the
possibility OF any person dropping Q
considerable distance without danger tc
life. On this point it says:
ut does not. however, follow that be.
cause acrobats and sailors can drop 13C
feet or so without losing consciousness,
the same thing would hold true of all
persons falling from such height. The
sensation of giddiness caused in inexpe-
rienced persons by high elevation
sometimes leads to syncope. and there
is no reason why the gidd ness 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 nj
right to assume that what may HAPPIER
to acool. professional gymuast, taking
leap Intentionally. must happen in tht
case of man unused to giddy height:
falling accidentally" -Boston Adrer
tiser