Mountain Journeys 87 



difference is greater than on the plain, it is a proof that the air of 

 lofty mountains increases the irritability of the heart. 



July 18, in the afternoon, having taken a short nap on my pallet 

 on the ground, in a horizontal position, my pulse rate in this same 

 position was 83 per minute. I then arose, and while standing, my rate 

 was 88; but suspecting that the effort which I had made in rising 

 might have contributed to this acceleration, I rested a few instants, 

 and then my pulse rate was only 82. 



§2109. To determine by comparison whether the inspiration can 

 be held as long on the mountain as on the plain. 



In section 2104 I reported the attempts I had made on the moun- 

 tain. I then forgot to repeat them on the plain on my return, and 

 since then, my constitution has been so much affected by fatigues 

 and illnesses, that the comparative tests I might make would give 

 no result on which one could reason. 



To determine* if it is possible comparatively, the proportion of 

 the urine to the amount drunk. We lacked the necessary facilities to 

 make comparisons. 



§2110. To verify particularly whether the effects of the rarified 

 air appear suddenly or gradually. 



It appeared to us that the general effects were almost the same 

 during our whole stay. When we arrived, we were all more out of 

 breath than we should have been after making an ascent equal to 

 that on a less lofty mountain on the last day. On the following days, 

 the discomfort was far from increasing; our companions, my son, 

 and I thought that we were becoming accustomed to this air: how- 

 ever, when we gave attention to it, and especially when we made 

 efforts for this purpose, we found that if one ran, if he remamed in 

 an uncomfortable attitude, and particularly in a position in which 

 the chest was compressed, one was much more out of breath than on 

 the plain, and in an increasing progression; so that, from moment 

 to moment, it became more difficult, and at last even impossible to 

 keep up these efforts. 



§2111. As our observations forced us to remain in the open air 

 almost all day, I had advised my son and my servant always to keep 

 a piece of crape over the face, as I did myself. My servant thought 

 that he could do without it, but his whole face, and particularly his 

 lips, swelled, which made him hideous, and which was accompanied 

 by very painful cracking of the skin. That made my son think that 

 perhaps the action of the sun produced a liberation of air which 

 caused this swelling. 



To see whether this air would appear outside, he had this same 

 young man hold his hands in water in the sun; they were immediately 

 covered with little bubbles; he wiped them, then when he put them 

 back in the water, more bubbles appeared; he wiped them a second 

 time, and dipped them for the third time; but then there were no 

 more bubbles to be seen. We concluded from that, that the bubbles 

 which we had seen at first were only air adhering to the surface 

 of the skin. 



2212. It seemed to us that in general our nerves were more 

 irritable, that we were more subject to impatience, and even to 



