Evening star., 1941-04-27

climaxed by reproduction of an
ascent to an altitude of $4,000 feet,
conducted with members of the
classes as subjects, each equipped
with proper oxygen masks and
equipment. In groups of 10, the
students also will be flown to actual
attitudes Of 10000 feet in flying
fortress bombers of the type now
being sent to England for high-alti-
tude, long-range attacks on Ger
many, for mass tests of new oxygen
equipment and instruction in its
proper use.
Until recently, according to Drs.
Boothby, Lovelace and Benson,
anoxia, or lack of oxygen, was the
most serious physiologic condition
that aeronautical engineering had
to meet. Modern high altitude fly
ing, however. has added two other
serious problems, exposure to cold
and aeroembolism, which resembles
the dread "caisson disease" Of cais-
son and tunnel workers and the
bends which affiict divers.
Flights at 10000 to 10000 feet re-
qulre protection against cold of tre-
mendous Severity-of minus 40 TO
minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit, it was
explained. Clothing alone will not
provide protection at high attitudes,
because the loss of heat from the
lungs alone will be in excess of that
which the body can furnish.
If glass of water is taken to an
altitude of $1,000 feet, gas bubbles
like those in ginger ale will begin
to form and they become very nu-
merous by the time 25,OOO feet is
reached. The same bubble forma-
ton occurs in the blood and tissue
fluids unless adequate steps are
taken for protection. One of the
methods Of protection may be the
treatment of pilots and crew mem
bers with oxygen prior to takeoff,
continuing the inhalation of oxygen
during flight.
Parachute jumps from attitudes Of
$4,000 to 10000 feet NAV become
necessary as fighting planes drive
higher and higher into the SUBJ
stratoSphere. The three medical
research authorities have gone in
oetall INTO the problems created by
abandonment Of the airplane with
its oxygen supply and heating eouip-
ment, at such tremendous elevations
above the earth.
Ihey have found that during the
minute which probably would elapse
before preparations to lump could
be completed, especially if the sun
ply OF oxygen were damaged or cut
on, cerebral anoxia would be present
ana unconsciouSness would begin IN
develop. Even if the aviator did not
open his parachute but descended as
a free-talling body until he reached
2O,0OO feet another minute would
elapse, which would be sufficient tn
cause complete loss of consciousness
and, OF course, inability to pull the
parachute rip cord. Even so. how
ever, the pilot probably would re-
gam consciousness as he entered
oenser air during the last few thou
SAND feet of his drop and might be
able to open his parachute.
On the other hand, if he pulled
his rip cord within a few seconds
after leaving the plane he would
soon become unconscious and It
would take from to 10 minutes
Tor him to descend to an altitude
at which he would have sufficient
oxygen to regain consciousness,
though he still might fail to do so
because OF too long an exposure.
For these reasons it has become
necessary to supply pilots and crew
members with special oxygen inhala-
tlon equipment for parachute de.
scents from high attitudes, inde-
pendent OF the airplane supply svs-
tenn. Such an apparatus has been
developed and supplies oxygen sufi.
cient for 10 to Is minutes of BREATH
Ing at a rate which will maintain
consciousness. If the aviator is
properly trained, it was reported, it
might be depended upon to main
tain him in essentially normal con-
oltlon during descent from 10000
to $4,000 feet, at which height he
would be safe.
The Immense program for de-
Veloplng national defense contem-
plates the training of large num-
bers OF aviators," the medical report
states. THE schools for aviation
will be numerous and large; the in
struction will cover a wide range Of
subjects, of which none will be more
important than the training of the
student aviators in the care of their
own human machines in the air"