Decreased Pressure 957 



In preparing for my expedition, I had taken care to get informa- 

 tion from everyone familiar with Monte Rosa as to the point where 

 the greatest suffering from mountain sickness is experienced. It is 

 well known that each mountain has its special locality in reference to 

 this; it is not generally on the summit, which is very airy and windy, 

 or on the dangerous or interesting ridges that the sickness is most felt; 

 it is particularly on snowy slopes, hollowed out, well protected 

 against the winds, and tiresome; as example I shall mention the 

 corridor of Mont Blanc. All the reports made to me were unanimous; 

 it was on the Botzer Tolle, before reaching the Sattel, that all the trav- 

 ellers, and even the guides often, were affected. On the ridge of the 

 summit, on the contrary, no one has the slightest idea of suffering 

 from mountain sickness. I prepared therefore to study carefully this 

 Botzer Tolle. I had its beginning indicated by the guides, and forced 

 myself from that point to climb rapidly and without stopping, so as 

 to heighten by fatigue the symptoms from which I was suffering be- 

 fore approaching it. But — strange thing — I saw these symptoms dis- 

 appear one after the other; as soon as I directed my attention espe- 

 cially to one of them, I felt it lessening. Fatigue, lassitude, depression, 

 headache, left me one after the other, and I made this tiresome 

 passage in perfectly good condition, to the amazement of my guides, 

 who had seen me painfully affected in regions much less dangerous 

 to other travellers. Attention, scientific interest then had for me in 

 this case the same curative effect that danger possesses; no one suffers 

 from mountain sickness in dangerous passages. 



This effect on mountain sickness of the morale and of particular 

 attention ought to be pointed out, and deserves to have much more 

 consideration than it has received until now in the study of this 

 malady. I merely indicate it here. (P. 110.) 



The temperature of the body, we see by the figures given above, 

 was maintained at its original degree, or even rose above it, during 

 muscular efforts; at any rate, no decrease has been observed. But 

 we must mention the fact that, precisely during the attack of moun- 

 tain sickness, that is, at the interesting moment, the temperature 

 was not taken. M. Forel, who mentions this omission himself, gives 

 "this negligence as a proof of the physical and mental distress 

 which he was feeling then." (Page 109.) 



Two English travellers, having read the work of Dr. Forel, pub- 

 lished the notes which they had previously taken on the variations 

 of their buccal temperature during mountain ascents. 



M. Thorpe * reached negative results. His ascent consisted of 

 climbing from Catana to Zaffarana: the buccal temperature showed 

 itself invariably 98.4 F.; the pulse rose from 78 to 83. 



M. Tempest Anderson, 9 on the contrary, said that he had ob- 

 served a considerable drop in the buccal temperature during the 

 very act of ascent; he asserts that he guarded against all causes of 



