Evening star., 1961-08-13

Project we're aimed at this ques-
ton, among others. Titov certain
ly was UP long enough.
Titov's feeling of unease hardly
qualities as a serious case of
space sickness" Whether this
means space sickness does not
exit, or only that Titiov is a
good sailor" is still an unan-
Swered question. However, neither
Yuri Gagarin, in IA hours, nor
AstronautS Shepard and Girls
som, in five minutes each, re-
ported any queaziness, so the pos
sibility that time is a factor in
Zero-g discomfort still exists.
Other researchers are con-
cerned about the effects of pro-
longed zero-g on the human
skeleton. In an effort to simulate
zero-g on earth, Air Force medics
at the School of Aerospace Medi-
cine suspended man in water
of the same specific gravity as
his body. After several days, urine
samples showed alarmingly high
concentrations of calcium, almost
as though the body was telling
itself it didn't need that heavy
old one-g skeleton in a zero-g
environment.
But this happens to bedridden
patients. too. Maybe enforced
idleness, rather than weightless-
ness. Is the cause; if so, perhaps
regular exercise would be the
preventive. Titiov was not up long
enough for skeletal deterioration
to have begun.
Not all the interest in zero-g is
conditioned by dread. Some scien-
lists believe the weightless state
may actually be beneficial. They
point out that 80 per cent of the
body's energy production, and
hence 80 per cent of the body's
demand for food, water and air,
is earmarked for fighting the
force of gravity. Almost third
Of the hearts work serves just
to pump blood uphill.
These facts suggest that men
in orbit may not need as much
sleep, food, oxygen, or water, as
men doing similar jobs on earth.
Titov's report that he slept eight
hours is an interesting piece Of
Early Space Age curiosa; whether
he actually needed his nap is an
unanswered question.
Space Medicine Experts
Although Titov's report on his
reactions to zero-g can be taken as
encouraging, some space medical
experts feel that gross physioloes-
cal effects are not all that warrant
study.
DR.. Charles Cell, former Navy
medic now with Ling -Temco-
Vought in Dallas, suggests that
weightlessness may have subtle
effects on the body's individual
cells. These effects would not be
noticed in a physical examination.
DR.. Cell has proposed orbiting
cell samples and recovering them
after they have been in the weight
less state for q normal cell life
time of 72 hours or so. Microscopic
examination of such cells might
really yield some valuable data on
what will happen to the human
body for long periods, say the
three years necessary for round
trip to Mars.
DR.. S. B. Sells, professor of
psychology at Texas Christian
University, has a rather far-out
concern about weightlessness' ef-
feet in the years when the sky
is studded with man-made, per-
manently occupied satellites.
"Conceivably we may have
people born in weightless en-
vironment," DR.. Sells says. I'VE
know that growth Of the human
skeleton in a one-g environment
provides structure that is de-
signed to Withstand one g. Perhaps
people born to zero-g could never
visit the mother planet"
But by that time the mystery
of weightlessness-cracked first
by Gagarin, Shepard, Grissom
and Titov - will have been thor
oughly shattered. The best bet Is
that man will emerge unscathed.
"TThe Master Mechanic who
planned man did pretty good
job" says 1t. Col. Stanley White,
the Mercury Astronauts' chief
medic. Every. time we have cl191-
lenged man to exert himself to
new limits he has come through"