702 Experiments 



this fact caused a sort of instinctive regret in me. M. Sivel's mind 

 then wavered a bit, and I was in a state of decided prostration. The 

 weakness, however, had not yet reached such a point that we could 

 not have endured (with some difficulty, it is true) two or three centi- 

 meters more of decompression, especially M. Sivel, who throughout 

 showed himself less affected than I. 



During the whole experiment, neither of us noted anv abdominal 

 distention or pulmonary oppression, which astonished me in myself, 

 since I have very sensitive lungs. Our faces had finally purpled. 

 M. Sivel had become deep violet, and I, who am ordinarily pale, 

 light violet. My right ear was very red. 



M. Sivel, having noted my state of great discomfort, asked me 

 whether I thought that the decompression should be stopped. I 

 answered yes, because there was no more oxygen. The memory of 

 this fact did not return to me immediately after the experiment, and 

 it is only at this moment when I am writing that it becomes very 

 clear to me. 



They stopped the machine then and opened the intake cocks. 

 Here is the pulse rate noted during the period of recompression: in 

 me, at 52 cm., 104; at 59 cm., 100; at 66 cm., 96. In M. Sivel, at 62 cm., 

 98. 



In 7 minutes, we returned to 45 cm., and in spite of the speed of 

 the rise in pressure, we not only felt no discomfort, but on the con- 

 trary, experienced a very agreeable sensation, I in particular. It was 

 not until afterwards that buzzing in the ears began in both of us. M. 

 Sivel drank some water and ate a little, and twice felt relief when 

 his ear suddenly became unstopped. I was more sensitive to the 

 buzzing than he; my ear was unstopped only once, and I had severe 

 pain. This pain increased at about 70 cm., when the operators, seeing 

 on the outer manometer only a few centimeters of decompression left, 

 opened the intake cock wide. That probably caused the earache which 

 persisted in me after the experiment. 



On leaving the bell at 11:30, after a 59 minute experiment, I felt 

 as if there were cotton in my ears, tightly wedged in, but I was not in 

 pain. My head was free, but my mind a little feverish. All day I felt 

 my ears, especially the right one, very dull. In the evening the right 

 ear ached. I went to bed at 11, but could not get to sleep till 4 in the 

 morning. I had not only twinges and a neuralgia in my temples, but 

 the inner ear seemed swollen, and a pressure of the hand caused pain. 

 I soothed the pain by wrapping my head up. As for M. Sivel, this 

 experience left him no ill effects. 



I should say that my "bell companion" is of a sanguine tempera- 

 ment, that he enjoys excellent health, and that he has a very 

 vigorous appearance. He is used to long journeys, on land and sea, 

 and he has made two balloon ascensions. Although of a good consti- 

 tution, I am evidently less strong than he. I have a "lymphatico- 

 nervous" temperament. 



It seems a good idea to compare the sensations felt in the bell 

 with those I experienced in the ascent to 4600 meters, under a baro- 

 metric pressure of 429 mm., in the company of MM. Jobert, Penaud, 

 Dr. Petard, and Sivel. In this ascent, I felt no disagreeable sensation 



