960 Summary and Conclusions 



was attached as physician to the railroad construction over the 

 Andes, from Callao to Oroya: 



Almost all the men who worked on the tunnel, except natives 

 born on the mountain, suffered more or less severely from the de- 

 crease of pressure; however almost all became accustomed to this 

 influence quite rapidly, that is, after one or two weeks. Animals suf- 

 fered as did the men. 



The natives are short, stocky men, with an immense lung capacity, 

 as is proved by the following measurements, taken on the bare skin, 

 on the level of the nipples. 



Age Height Circumference of the chest 



14 years 1 4 feet, 10 inches 36 inches 



24 years 5 feet, 6V2 inches 35 inches 



21 years 5 feet, 4 inches 35 inches 



16 years 5 feet, 34V 2 inches 



30 years 5 feet, AV2 inches 30V2 inches 



These men eat dry wheat, coca, coarse sugar, potatoes, with little 

 or more often no meat. With a handful of grain and coca, they can 

 work a whole day without giving any sign of fatigue. 



M. Malinowski, engineer at Lima, sending me the letter from 

 Dr. Ward, adds: 



A North-American, assistant engineer, having made a visit to the 

 tunnel one day, was attacked there by the sorroche very violently. 

 He was hurried to a place about 1000 meters lower in elevation, but 

 he soon died. 



Dr. Vacher X1 has published an interesting study on the medical 

 stations of Davos (1650 meters) , in the Grisons, and of Mont Dore 

 (1050 meters) in Auvergne. He observes, as many of his prede- 

 cessors have done, the immunity to consumption of the population 

 of these elevated regions, and studies the question of the treatment 

 of this dreadful disease by the height cure. For our present topic, 

 we shall quote only the following observations: 



1. At Davos, the heart rate is noticeably higher than on the plain; 

 at Paris, my pulse rate is 69; at Davos, 78. It is to this phenomenon 

 that the unsuitable name of "altitude fever" is given .... It continues 

 during the whole stay in this station, which distinguishes it from the 

 phenomena of excitation produced by mineral waters. 



2. The functions of the lung are equally modified in this rarefied 

 medium, where a considerable amelioration of respiratory movements 

 is observed. Dr. Spengler asserts that in the atmosphere of Davos the 

 lung makes up for the deficiency of oxygen by deeper and slower 

 inspirations than in normal conditions of pressure. It is quite true 

 that at the altitude of 1650 meters there is a considerable lack of 

 oxygen in the air, but observation proves that it is not by deeper or 



