The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-04-03
LIFE ON MONT BLANC.
Scientific Observers. as Badly Off
There as Arctic Explorers.

There as Arctic Explorers.
Life in the observatory on the sum-
nit of Mont Blanc is even frostier
than on an arctic expedition. The OBJ
servatory was foun ed by Pierre
Jansen, the French physicist, in 1893,
and since the first ascent of the noun
tain in 1855 a temperature above
freezing was never recorded there un-
til 1906. when for a few minutes
temperature Of two degrees cent?
grade, or about 36 degrees Fanren-
heit, was observed.
The observatory is generally occu-
pied from about the beginning Of
June to the end Of September. These
are the utmost limits at which men
could live there. The work is both
astronomical and meteorological.
One Of the greatest DRAWBACKS to the
work is the stream OF tourists in
July and August, who expect to have
everything shown to them regardless
of the loss OF time to the men OF
science.
One of these, ". de Fouvielle, in a
recent account Of the work on the
mountain top dWells on the courage
that it takes to spend weeks and
months amid the mo1otony Of he
snowfelds and glaciers. The metal
depression is all the harder to fight on
account Of the physical conditions, to
which it is very difficult to become
accustomed.
At that elevation human beings are
tortured by an unceasing thirst, cue
to the rapid evaporation Of moisture
from the body. On the other hand,
the appetite almost entirely disap-
pears.
At first all the system can stand is
a few glasses of warm tea daily, with
plenty of sugar and pulVerized milk
in It, Recourse to alcohol is absolute
ly forbidden. Spirits OF all sorts are
found to be exceedingly harmful.
When the men begin to get accli-
mated, diet pricipally made up OF
meat is found to be best. The !, sat
is carried up from Chamounix and
frozen in order to insure its prese,Ta-
ton
1t is stored in the cellar Of the OBJ
seryatory, where the. temperature
ranges from u to Is degrees Fahrcn-
heit. Canned or preserved meat is
never used. 1t is found to be TOO
trying to the digestive powers in that
region.
The meat is for the most part
boiled. Green vegetables are eaten
with it to prevent scurvy or similar
disorders.
The process of cooking is far more
tedious than at ordinary levels. AS
water boils far below 212 degrees, 1t
takes four or five times as mucn boil
ing to render the food fit to be eaten
as it does in ordinary places.
The scientific men who spend their
summers at the observatory have to
Live in Arctic clothing. They spend day
and night in an atmosphere Al ii=ez-
Ing point 1t is true that the building
is warmed with fires of coal and wood.
But 1t is only warmed 80 degrees Fab
renheit. The moisture from thu
breath of the inhabitants condenses
on the walls in a thin coating OF ice,
and icicles depend from the ceilings
and beams an lintels. When it gets
q little too warm the ice meits and
there is a veritable rainfall in every
room.
The observers gradually learn to be
comfortable at 80 degrees. They take
off their gloves to handle the more
delicate instruments. They sleep in
bags and keep their health. When
they go home for the winter they
don't feel the cold Their scientific
work is, besides, generally recognized
as compensation for all they endure
to accomplish it.