Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-11-10
AVIATION ILLNESS.
Peculiar Distress That Comes to
Many Aerial Navigators.
FLlERS SHOULD BE ROBUST.

Hearing and Nervous and Vascular
Systems Perfectly Sound.
Those who are up into the air in fly
ing machines as well as those who go
down to the sea in ships are troubled
by peculiar and unpleasant physiolog-
zeal disturbances which may at times
be of grave moment. This is especial
ly true of a%eroplane pilots or passen-
gers and to less degree of those who
ascend in balloons or dirigibles. The
tremendous Importance of aviation in
wal lends this subject peculiar inter-
est, and Larousse Wensuel Paris) de-
votes a special article to the topic. The
author, DR.. Laumonier, states that the
symptoms vary according to the period
of ascent, of descent and of landing.
In ascending an ac~celeration Of the
respiration and pulse are frequently
noted at from 1000 to 1000 meters al
titude, accompanied by a slight head
ache located in forehead and temples
and by indefinable discomfort without
vomiting or nausea. At 1900 meters
there is a diminution in the keenness
of hearing; at times there are halluci-
nations and finally IN "~asthenic" con-
dition which prevents the muscles from
obeying the will with adequate rapid
ity.
On descending the palpitations of
the heart become violent and are ac-
companied by a sensation of anguish,
the headache is intense, the aviator
has an increasing sensation of heat OF
the skin, especially of the face, and a
desire to sleep, which is sometimes SO
strong that the eyes involuntarily close
as he approaches the earth, in spite of
imminent peril.
Strange to say, on landing these trou-
.bles are augmented. Besides the head
ache and the ~somnolence, hyperemia of
the conjunctive (conjunctives) is OBJ
served, with cyanosis of the eXtremi-
ties, acce1eration of the pulse and con-
slant increase of arterial pressure. The
aviator often falls asleep as soon as he
lands, and this sleep is troubled and
nonrefreshing, while the headache may
persist for many hours or even several
days.
IL doACitt GS hAlbOAho 1No hCp VI
"mountain Sickness" but are produced
at a less altitude, because of the nerv-
Gus tension, the cold and above all the
relative rapidity of ascension. But
what distinguishes aviators' sickness
from mountain sickness is that the
symptoms persist during descent and
are aggravated after landing. There
are besides yaSomotor reactions with
apprehension which are peculiar to
this malady and give it, according to
Cruchet and Moulinier, a sort of noso-
graphic autonomy. However, these
troubles are not felt with the same in
tensity by all %aviators. Some find they
diminish with experience, as in the
case of seasickness. 1t appears to be
true that their intensity depends prin-
cipally on the rapidity OF the descent.
The causes to which are ascribed
these symptoms include cold and phys
zeal, nervous and moral fatigue. While
cold may provoke the imperious need
of sleep, it cannot be the sole cause,
since the somnolence increases on de-
scending into warmer air and after
landing. Analogous objections are
made to fatigue as a cause.
The most important of the determin-
ing causes, according to the authorities
quoted above, is speed, not horizontal,
but vertical speed, which causes rapid
decomposition and decomposition in
ascending and descending. At Pau
Legagneux assembled to 5000 meters
in t~wenty-eight minutes, whereas 1t
would have taken an A1pinist eleven
hours to ascend the same distance on
foot. At Varenne-sur-Allier Vedrines
descended in three minutes from a
height of 5000 meters. The difference
of gaseous tension is too great for the
organism to regain its equilibrium in
so short q time.
Since these symptoms are not morbid
they disappear naturally in a few hours
or at most a few days, their cessation
being favored by rest, sleep and moder-
ate warmth. Nevertheless they are of
grave Importance because of the dan
gers to which they expose aviators.
Hence it is highly advisable that
fiers should be young, robust, resolute
and cool headed men, with sight, hear
Ing, nervous anu VASCULAR SySleLHS per
fectly sound. And there should be
rigorous elimination of candidates who
have a tendency to heart trouble, cpl
lepsy, tuberculosis, hardening Of ar
teries, nervous troubles, etc. They
should have methodical and progress
sive training, a diet n~oJrishing, but
not bulky, and as little fermentable as
nnccihlo Thnu mnCt ohCtQin from al
cohol and not abuse tea or coffee.
The clothing must be very warm, but
not heavy enough to restrict movement.
The wearing of goggles, putting cotton
in the nostrils and greasing face and
hands will be sufficient protection
against cold. Finally they are advised
to mount as slowly as possible and to
dornanl oron nnnro cIorrlu