274 



Chapter XVIII 



the Margherita hut. At these rates of climbing the effect of altitude 

 to all intents and purposes is quantitative, the effect is clear at 

 15,000 feet, it is not to be found at low levels. It is in fact an acid 

 intoxication ; its extent may be gathered from the two sets of curves 

 given in Fig. 134. They are those of Roberts and myself. At the 

 present time they are the record cases of meionexy. 



To pass from the actual degree of meionexy produced, let me 

 treat of the degree of acidosis, confining this term to the appearance 

 of unusual acids in the blood. We must ask two questions : 



(i) To what extent did acid radicles appear in the blood ? 



(ii) What were the acid radicles which appeared ? 



PIG. 133. View of Matterhoru from the Capanna Margherita at sunset. (Durig.) 



Here again we must recapitulate what has been said about 

 acidosis in the last two chapters. The acidosis due to exercise 

 appears to be a lactic acidosis, that due to altitude does not appear 

 to be a lactic acidosis at altitudes of 10,000 feet, though at altitudes 

 of 15,000 feet there is some degree of lactic acidosis. As regards the 

 degree of acidosis the best determinations are those performed on 

 Mathison and on Camis, but especially the former, and this for 

 the following reasons : firstly Mathison started his climb free from 

 acidosis both at Col d'Olen and at the commencement of his low level 

 station, which was the Sugar Loaf at Abergavenny ; secondly his 

 climb was in each case a very strenuous one, 1000 feet in 20 21 mins. 

 The data are as follows : 



