190. Historical 



ascending and descending, and solve by equations of the first 

 degree a problem which evidently depends on the second. 



Everything leads us to believe that the balloon soon stopped 

 and soared for some minutes before descending. 



I should mention a little experiment that is rather interesting: 



We had taken with us six pigeons to toss into the air successively 

 at sufficient heights. We threw out the first at 4807 meters; he spread 

 out his wings but could not support himself and fell like a leaf of 

 paper. 



The second, which was thrown out at 6437 meters, did not let 

 itself fall so easily; it whirled about, flying vigorously. Probably it 

 turned completely about each time it dived in spite of itself. Perhaps 

 by yielding to this strange waltz it found a way to resist the terrible 

 suction. 



The third was thrown out before reaching the level of 8048 

 meters. It fell like a stone and disappeared rapidly. We kept the three 

 pigeons left for the descent, but we found that one of them was dead 

 in its cage and another was hardly better. When I took it from its 

 cage, it refused to fly away. Only after a quarter of an hour of rest 

 did it begin to peck at a bit of pink ribbon which was around its 

 neck. It was a carrier pigeon which, when once recovered, flew with 

 great rapidity in the direction of Wolverhampton. (P. 67) .... 



Of all the pigeons thrown out during the journey, only one 

 returned to Wolverhampton, during Sunday (the fifth of September 

 was a Friday). 



M. Glaisher made several more ascents in which he mounted 

 above 7000 meters (April 10, 1863, to 7300 meters; 41 June 26, 1863, 

 to 7100 meters) ; in his accounts he says nothing at all of physi- 

 ological disturbances. 



But he summarizes, in a separate section, the observations of 

 this sort which he made in these different ascents; I quote from 

 the English edition in which it is much fuller and more interesting 

 than in Voyages acriens: 



The number of heart beats per minute increases with the altitude, 

 as does the number of inspirations: my pulse was generally 76 before 

 starting, about 90 at 10,000 feet, about 100 at 20,000 feet, and 110 at 

 greater heights; but the increase in the height is not the only element 

 on which the rate depends; the state of health has much to do with 

 it, as does the temperament of the different individuals. 



The same thing is true of the color of the face; at 10,000 feet, 

 certain persons are of a flaming purplish red, while others are hardly 

 affected. At 17,000 feet, my lips were blue; at 19,000 feet, my hands 

 and my lips were a deep blue; at a height of four miles, one could 

 hear my heart beat and my respiration was much affected; at 29,000 

 feet, I became unconscious. From all observations one may conclude 

 that the effects of great heights are felt by everyone, but vary in the 

 same individual according to circumstances. (P. 92.) 



