Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-25
Brief Notes on Its Physical Fea-
lures, Resources, and Development.
UTAH
vr clnMArrc CONTRASTS nnrwEEN MouNrA1N AND

Utah has, in general, two kinds OF
climate due to altitude: the first pre-
walls over those portions of the land
surface which are not more than $500
feet IN elevation above the sea, aud
includes most of the plains and val
leys and the great bulk of the populat-
ad areas; the second extends to all
places having n greater altitude than
$500 feet, and Includes the higher val
leys and plateaus, and the most OF
the mountain ranges.
Except for a certain dryness and
clearness OF the air, the first or valley
climate is not sensibly different from
that of lower attitudes that is, the
physiological effects of altitude are not
nouceably experienced, though they
exist, until we pass $500 feet.
In the second or mountain climate,
the physiological effects due to the
rarefed condition of the atmosphere
begin 10 be manifest. Deeper breath
ing, mere blood in the brain, and final
ly, rs the altitude increases. heart
troubles and insufficient orygenation
of the blood, may be the results.
Mountain climate has therefore GER
tain well marked characteristics. Next
to the relative distribution of land and
water the elevation of land masses
above the sea Is the most important
cause of the differences in climate that
occur on the same parallels OF lau-
tude
DIMINISHED AIR PRESSURE.
The first climatic effect of higher al
titude is to decrease the weight or
pressure of the air. The pressure de-
.creases with each 800 meters Q,640.42
feet as follows: In going from sea
level to 500 meters elevation there Is
decrease of one millimeter (.0S94 Of
an iEch) for each 1915 meters (49.2l
fee) change in altitude as we ascend
From 500 to 1000 meters, the decrease
is one milllmeter for every ILL meters;
from 1000 to 1900 meters In altitude
the decrease In pressure is one MILF
meter for each lis meters of ascen-
sion; from 1900 to 1000 meters the de-
crease is one millimeter for every 12.5
meters traversed upward; from $500
to 5000 meters. the decrease of one
mtllimeter of pressure calls for 1874
meters of rise; while between the alti-
tudes of 5000 and 5000 meters the de-
crease of atmosphere pressure is ole
millmeter for every 225 meters of ele-
walton. From this we conclude that
the mean or average pressure, or
weight of the air decreases more slow
~ at higher than at lower attitudes
as We ascend mountains. Moreover,
the change is different at different tenn
peratures, being the greater the higher
the temperature is at the sea level, and
hence greatest In the tropics.
At the summit of Pixies Peak Colo
RADIO. 4,S0S meters (say 4,130 feet). the
air pressure is 451 millimeters q7756
inches) at the temperature of III cente-
grade degrees below zero, or 1922 de-
grees Farenheit. Our highest mountains
(n the Uinta range) are less than H.
600 feet. AT about II, 800 feet a press
ure of 1867 inches was found at Leh
i'm Thibet mt temperature of 42.26 de-
grees r.; and this record would no
doubt correspond with our higher
mountain conditions.
MOUNTAIN SICKNESS.
The main physiological effects of
higher altitude are to increase the fire.
quency aud depth OF breathing to
quicken the heart beats, and to increase
the amount of the blood sent to the
BRAIN These conditions often bring
ON peculiar form OF Illness called
mountain sickness. The altitude at
which this sickness Is felt varies great
~ with different individuals and with
the amount of bodily excrtlon taken,
rs in mountain climbing, II is almost
always experienced at from II 900 10
$4,000 feet elevation. The symptoms
are: A craving for air. dizziness; In
creasing shortncas OF breath; weakness
Of the muscles; diminished powers of
endurance: lack or energy; indifference
to surroundings and 10 danger; nose
bleed, papitatiOn OF the heart; head
ache occasional nausea; loss OF appe-
lite. Respiration Is quick and irreg-
ular; and II the symptoms become
greatly exaggerated, inconsistencies,
and even death may follow. Tho writer
has experienced It few of the symptoms.
but only on undergoing considerable
eNertiOn when near the tops of the
higher Uintas and once on Mt. Nebo.
SUPPLY or OXYGEN.
In climbing mountains one should
proceed very slowly and rest often.
Lying down Is relief. The great
danger to those unaccustomed to the
unusual altitude Is over-exertion. The
cause Of mountain sickness Is the di-
unfinished pressure OF the air. At first
the amount Of red colorlng (haemoglo-
bin) ia the blood OF people remov-
ing TO very great attitudes is not
enough 10 enable their blood 10 be suf-
ficently supplied with oxygen. since the
rarehed atmosphere contains less of
this life glver the higher we go. but
after time occasionally in a few days,
the relative amount of tho haemnglO~
bin becomes greatly increased, and the
persons are then said to TO be accli-
mated. Vaults blood. tested before
he asconded the plateaus OF Peru, con-
talned only Ave millions OF red blood
corpuscles por cubic millimcter while
| he was al Lima, but after a stay OF
| IA days M Maracocho. al an altitude
| OF 4,400 meters Oli3b7 feeD the
number rose 90 seven millions and
week later Ia eight millions The re
| sulung Increase Ia the number OF blood
| cprpusCles of animals taken from the
| lowlands 20 the plateaus. was IN tho
| ratio of as TO 7.
Probably the best medicine for
mountain sickness Is oxygen Balloon
! lists have often kept themselves alive
and Wen by lnhallng oxygen, the need
| OF which they begin TO feed at GOO
I meters tabout 22,9Sl feeD
! Newcomers In Cerro de Pasco. OF the
! Andes Qtl0l feet are attacked by
! mountain sicknessand feel sulfocatlon
| sleeplessness, extreme languor, and
have fainting spells, especially at
| uight Those with sound lungs ana
heart recover at tho end OF six on seven
| days, Under the influence Of the