The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26
EFFECT OF ALTITUDE ON MAN.
Explanation of the Restorative Effect
of Mountain Air.
Letter i'm London Standard.

Letter in London Standard.
An interesting summary is given in Ma
ture of a French book by DR.. Paul Reg.
nard on the Effect of Altitude on Man."
Many of us have ascertained by experience
that when we fell used up" after long
period of hard work, we recover tone most
quickly by seeking some quiet mountain
resort, at a few thousand feet above sea
level. In the Alps, the most suitable spots,
as every one knows, are found from about
four thousand to seven thousand feet Be
low the one the midday heat is apt to be
too great, above the other the temperature
is often too low for comfort In such
place the air from the first has an eX-
hilarating effect, and. after inhaling it for
a few days, vlgor returns, and life becomes
an enjoyment. DR.. Regnard tells us why
this occurs.
The first experiment-and this was only
made in a very general way-was about the
middle Of the present century: A SWISS
Protestant clergyman, Kraenbuhl 6y name,
had been struck by the marked difference
between the children from the mountains
and those of certain schools In Berne and
Zurich. The former were sturdy and rudy
the latter weakly and anaemic. He ar
ranged for some of these-organizing
'children's county, holiday on a pro
tracted scale-to I'VE at Beatenberg. This.
now becoming we'll known as a health re-
sort, is a mountain village on the north
side of the Lake of Thun, nearly 1000 feet
above sea level. The effect was marked
in few months the children had greatly
improved in health. DR.. Guggenbuhrs hos
pital for Cretins on the Abendberg, near
Interlaken, produced similar results. 1t was
discovered some years ago by Paul Bert
that the blood of animals living at high
attitudes absorbed more oxygen than, did
that of similar animals at lower level.
1t was next found that this blood was
richer in the coloring matter (haemoglobln)
The third step was to discover that not only
was the latter increased, but also the num- mum,
Der of red corpuscleS in the blood was stu
more augmented. This was further corrob-
Grated by the observation that when AMI
mails descended from higher to i've at a
oft no n
Giles in their blood decreased. Direct expert
ments also showed that these corpuscles
notably diminished in number IN an Amos
phere which was abnormally rich in oxygen.
Now, the blood absorbs oxygen in the lungs,
and transfers it to the tissues of the body.
This is done by the red corpuscleS through
the agency of the haemoglobin. Hence, the
more cOrpusceS, the more thoroughly the
carrying work is done.
So the mountain air has the following ef-
feet: Suppose weakly, or even consump-
tive, patient goes up into the mountains
His badly nourished condition renders ms
tissues an @asy prey e 10 le lodrement Under
the insanitary conditions of his previous
life But when he breatheS an air less rich
able to absorb enough for its requirements;
a reaction" is set up; new corpuscleS are
formed which gradually acquire the normal
amount of ha emoglobin, and thus a, host of
recruits is added to the pigmy carriers the
work of transference of oxygen is much
more effectively performed. and the result
sists the assaults of the destructive mi
crobes they no longer Increase and multi
ply, but dwindle-perhaps are slaughtered
(for such things do occur) by the army OF
defense. When the patient descends to
lower altitude the red cOrpuscleS decrease
in number, but the good effects remain, and
the quality of the blood is now much more
than it was before the visit to
the health resort. -
Mountain sickness. also, is connected with
the quantity of oxygen. This is due to
asphyxia of the tissues, which are unable
to obtain a sufficient supply lat time,
owing to muscular exertion, it is most
needed), in consequence of the diminution In
amount of that element at considerable
attitudes This malady, no doubt. often
comes from want of proper training, but
even the most experienced climbers have
felt it at great elevations. At the top of
Mont Blanc almost half the atmosphere by
weight lies below our feet, which, of course,
implies a greatly-diminished supply of oXy-
gen. Mr. Whymper and his guides suffered
severely when encamped at about $500 feet
in the Andes, and Sir Martin Conway found
in the Karakoram Himalayas the effect was
always perceptible at this height. while at
about twenty thousand feet the lassitude
and difficulty of breathing became painful:
Thus. of oxygen. like of many other good
things. one may have too much, as was al
ready we'll known, but one may also have
toe little.