THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE AVIATOR 



(Address before the Harvey Society, New York 

 City, March 22, 1919) 



BY 



YANDELL HENDERSON 

 Professor of Physiology, Yale University 



DOUBTLESS you have all read the delightful historical 

 accounts by the late Admiral Mahan of the great naval 

 battles of the eighteenth century, when France and Eng- 

 land struggled for the mastery of the sea. You will re- 

 call the stress laid on the weather gauge, or windward 

 position. If the wind blew from the eastward, as does 

 the "northeast trade" among the Caribbean Islands where 

 a great part of the struggle occurred, whichever admiral 

 was able so to maneuver as to be to the east of his enemy 

 obtained a great, and often a decisive, advantage. He 

 could choose the time and mode of attack, while his an- 

 tagonist was compelled to remain on the defensive, unable 

 either to force the fighting or to escape it. 



In modern naval warfare the position of the sun in re- 

 lation to the enemy's fleet affects the accuracy of aim. 

 The speed of the ships is of importance equalling that of 

 their gunfire. But there is no element of position which 

 quite corresponds to that of the weather gauge for a 

 fleet under sail. 



In the battles of the ships of the air, however, there is 



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