The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-03-08
HIGH ALTITUDE MINING
ITS EFFECTS ON HEALTH
INTERESTING FACTS IN coNNEc-
TON WITH COPPER MIN
ING IN ANDES.

Contrary TO the usual belief most
people can live and work at very high
attitudes without serious injury TO
themselves.
At an altitude of 5000 feet the
density of the atmosphere is only SOS
per cent OF that at sea level and the
oxygen content of the air which "a
person at that altitude must breathe
is proportionately reduced The diff
ference in pressure is also quite APP
preciable and. expressed in pounds
per square inch. it is. 6l pounds less
than at sea level Strange enough il
may. a normal healthy body appears
To adapt itself readily 10 this de-
crease in pressure and none of the
i'll effects of high altitude are attrib-
uted directly to it, The decreased
oxygen content of the air however
results in complications which affect
the functioning of the lungs, heart
and digestive organs. and to "A lesser
extent the brain and the composition
OF the blood The illness resulting
from these effects is termed anoxem-
A writer in the Engineering and Mi
ning Jounal-Press Of New York de-
fines anoxemia as that condition in
which the tissues of the body are re.
ceiving an inadequate supply Of oxy-
gen. Chronic anoxemia results from
living more or less permanently in
regions Of high attitudes and. unlike
fha is oh.
by extreme physical distress. its eff
fects being more insidious and not
generally appreciated Acute anox-
emia is produced by too rapid rise to
high attitudes and is more commonly
known as mountain sickness. II is
nowhere more prevalent than in the
central Peruvian Andes, and is
known locally as soroche. The cause
namely too rapid rise to high alti-
udes-is made possible by the Cen
trail railway of Peru. This remark
able railway rises from sea level to an
altitude of 1865 feet in a distance Of !
about JOG miles. and passenger trains |
usually make this run in about nine |
hours.
OANNHNoo WI 0GFiOu5s
Among the properties situat til |
within this district are the well known |
copper mines of the Cerro de Pascu |
Copper corporation. the unique vana-
dunn deposit of Nina Ragra. owned I
and operated by the Vanadium Cor
of America the silver mines
of Colquiiirca, owned by Senior w. Il
Fernadini, which are reported 10 ne
The richest silver mines in Peru. and
The copper mines of the Societe de
Mines de Huaran. All these proper
lies are from 1900 to 10000 feet
ibove sea level.
However the man who contem-
plates work in a high altitude should
not be unduly alarmed by the dan
;ers of soroche. Its Importance has
'een greatly exaggerated. Seasick- !
less affords a fair comparison Both
Illnesses result from subjecting tht
'ody to unusual and abnormal condi-
ions. The symptoms are quite SIM
lar-most people are affected: a few
ne immune. If a person is in aver
re good health and has no constltn-
ional Weaknesses he viii be as well :,
If as in most mining camps-better -
ii than in many He may expect 10 =.
e sick upon arriving for most men =
re; but after a few days he viii be- =;
ONE acclimated. Seasickness ehcits -
cry little sympathy and often calls i,
lrth derision. II is the same with o,
oroche. one should consider it an -
anne nature as seasiclness. :,