The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-11
"Fountain of Youth" in Clouds
Experiments on Pixies Peak Show Man Is Less Susceptible
to Disease in Higher Attitudes

man becomes ,acclimated in high alti-
tudes. One line of investigation is to
determine changes in the blood. Here
I! find the amount of red coloring mat
Ter in my blood is about 135, as COM
pared with 100 at sea level. In Col
orado Springs or Manitou it probably
would be from 10 to 100. Manager
Robinson of the Summit house on the
peak. has about 140. but he has lived
up here for A long time.
Another line of investigation con-
Germs the action of the heart. Does
the heart increase the force. as we'll
as the speed of its stroke in high alti-
tudes" That is what we are yet to de-
eide. AT sea level the heart beats
about seventy strokes a minute: on
the peak. ninety. There has been a
great deal of discussion as to whether
the force Of the stroke increases when
the speed is increased.
The newest point We have de-
termined is in regard to the secretion
of oxygen in the blood by the lungs.
Experiments along this line are prov
ing an entirely new theory. DR.. Hal
dane was one of the first to believe
that the lungs did secrete oxygen in
II blood at high attitudes. when at
sea level the oxygen. it is generally be-
lieved and pretty clearly established,
Is merely diffused through the lungs.
The lungs develop with exercise, lust
as do the muscles. and the reason
pneumonia is so fatal in high attitudes
IS that through exercise the epithelium
OF n cells of the lungs is thickened
and t%oughened n the oxygen does
not difuse rapidly enough.
we have noticed here
Their lips generally are blue. showing
that their blood is not circulating
properly-a condition due to decreas-
ed pressure. After a while they walk
ABOUT a bit and soon their lips take on
a pinkish color. Exercise stimulates
the lungs to secrete oxygen and that
causes the healthy color and better,
circulation. The body is run by com
nustion, like an engine. If there isn't
enough oxygen the heart lags and the
human machine runs like a rusty en-
CINE.
When exercising freely in high al
.ltudes the lungs give off a lot of ON
QUESTION products and these are being
investigated by US. These combustion
products are what cause headaches
and mountain sickness"
lhese investigations show that the
theory that high attitudes are hene-
Tclal TO tubercular patients is based
on TACT. not fancy. Drs. Haldane and
douglas explain that they have con
frmed by their tests on Pixies Peak
the theory that white corpuscIes are
special enemies of the tubercule baci,-
lus. This fact. then having been es-
tablished, it follows that persons suf-
1er1ng from tuberculosis in its first
stages can find relief and perhaps cure
in high attitudes. because the white
corpuscles in their blood will increase
In number and kill the disease germ.
This discovery alone is ample justifi-
CdylOn f0r the Stnr, foL1~ a- 49, -.
ternational Typographical union,
when 1t established the Union Print
ers home In Colorado, and the Mod
ern Woodmen of America, when they
purchased a large tract Of land and
erected near Colorado Springs their
national sanatorium.
The government has two tubercu-
losls sanitariums for victims of the
malay in the army and the navy. The
naval home is in Colorado and the
army station at Fl. Bayard, N. NJ. AS
soon as an officer or a soldier, marine
or sailor is found to be affected he is
at once ordered to one of these places.
There he is put to bed on an open
Seranda and kept there until all signs
Of temperature have disappeared. His
diet Is arranged to give him the MAXI
mum nourishment.
Under these conditions his weaken
ed lungs are given the best possible
chance to develop their power to Sc
crete oxygen and to improve the quail.
ty of the blood. The blood being i'm
proved, the whole system is improv-
ed. and in time the patient is much
strengthened and possibly cured.
AS the whole secret of the cure ap-
pears to be in the altitude. there
would seem to be no reason why the
aerial hospital may not become a
standard institution for the cure OF
lung and blood diseases. In place Of
taking the long. expensive trip to the
mountains. the invalid will move to
Inc top OF an extremely high building
put up for that purpose. or to some
balloon hospital. where. though not
more h two miles or SO from his
office. hi will enjoy all the benefits of
altitude.