The daily Alaskan., 1916-10-16
AVIATION ILLNESS.
Peculiar Distress That Comes to
 Many Aerial NaVigators.
PLIERS SHOULD BE ROBUST.

They Should Also 5e Young, Resoluts
 and Cool Headed, With Sight and
 Hearing and NervouS and Vascular
 Systems Perfectly Sound.
 Those who are up into the air In fly- ing machines as well as those who so down to the sea in ships are troubled by peculiar and unpleasant physiolog- ical disturbances which may at times be of grave moment This Is especial ly true of aeroplane pilots or passen- gers and to less degree of those who ascend in balloons or dirigibles. The tremendous importance of aviation in war lends this subject peculiar inter- est and Larousse Mensuel Par1s) 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 acceleration of the respiration and pulse are frequently noted at from 1,2OO to 1900 meters al- titude, accompanied by Q slight head ache located in forehead and temples and by tndefnable 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 an "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 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 conjuncttve (conJunctves) is ob- served, with cyanosis of the extremi- ties, acceleration of the pulse and con- stant increase of arterial pressure. The aviator often falls asleep as soon as he lands. and this sleep Is troubled and nonrefreShlng, while the headache may persist for many hours or even several days.
 The ascent symptoms recall those of mountain sickness" but are produced at Q less altitude, because of the nerv- ous tension, the cold and above all the relative rapidity of ascension. But what distinguishes aviRtors' sickness from mountain sickness is that the symptoms persist during descent and are aggravated after landing. There are besides vasomotor reactions with hypertension which are peculiar to thls malady and give 1t, according to Cruchet and Moulinier, sort of noso- graphic autonomy. However, these troubles are not felt with the same in- tensity by all ayiators. Some find they diminish with experience, as in the case of seasickness. It 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 ical. nervous and moral fatigue. While cold may provoke the Imperious need of sleep, 1t cannot be the sole cause, l since the somnolence increases on de scendlng 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 decompressIon and recompression in ascending and descending. At Pau Legagneux ascended to 3,200 meters in twenty-eight minutes, whereas It would have taken an AlpiniSt eleven hours to ascend the same distance on foot. At Varenne-sur-Allier Vedrlnes 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 a time.
 Since these symptoms are not morbid they disappear naturally in 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 alers should be young, robust. resolute and cool headed men, with sight hear ing, nervous and vascular systems 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 nourishLng, but not bulky, and as little fermentnble as possible. They must abstain 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 boD5e rr;lI bn eufHoiopk DrOtnntfOO