Increased Pressure 1011 



I got off with a rather violent headache, which had disappeared 

 the next day. I had stayed about three to four minutes in a closed 

 space containing 30 liters of air. I had a fast, full pulse for the two 

 hours following the experience. Salivation was difficult. I had a few 

 slight chills and stiffness. I slept well- at night. 



In the historical part (p. 388) I reported with suitable discre- 

 tion an account of symptoms observed in the execution of impor- 

 tant projects by a large French company. I can speak more clearly 

 today, since the doctor of this company has published a very inter- 

 esting article on these data. 1 ' It dealt with the construction of a 

 bridge over the Limfjord in Denmark; Doctor Heiberg, of Aalborg, 

 reports that the total pressure rose to 4.5' atmospheres; the work- 

 men remained from 2 to 5 hours in the work chamber. 



The workmen, after having remained in the bell under compressed 

 air, and having descended into the chamber under this same pressure, 

 which at the end of the excavation reaches 3Vfc atmospheres, (in ad- 

 dition to the atmospheric pressure) all experience the same symptoms; 

 a loud buzzing in the ears, fatiguing respiration, while the pulse beats 

 more slowly, 60 to 70 per minute, a pressure on the eardrum which 

 generally disappears with the movements of swallowing, the nose be- 

 ing closed, a practice which the men always carry out to relieve 

 themselves. Except for the symptoms mentioned above, the men are 

 in good shape while they are working; danger therefore should not 

 be attributed to the pressure of the compressed air. Sometimes the 

 men are inconvenienced by different gases which rise from the bot- 

 tom of the fjord; once there even occurred an explosion of these 

 gases which burned three workmen severely; but, in general, the 

 stay in the compressed air causes no danger. On the other hand, 

 things are quite different when the men leave and the decompression 

 is carried on too quickly. 



The remarkable symptoms of the illness which results are as fol- 

 lows: terrible pains in all parts of the body, accompanied by un- 

 endurable pricklings of the skin, great oppression at the heart, harder 

 beats, quicker pulse, 110-130, great heaviness in the head, drowsiness, 

 complete paralysis in the lower parts, the bladder and the rectum, 

 development of emphysemas in several parts of the body, generally 

 on the breast, under the armpits and on the arms, pain at pressure 

 on the spine in the lumbar region. 



These symptoms generally appear as soon as the workmen have 

 come out, but sometimes after a delay of several hours. A workman 

 who had come out in good condition was suddenly stricken as he 

 reached home and died immediately. 



In some workmen the symptoms disappear at the end of several 

 days; in others, the paralysis persists and often becomes incurable. I 

 have treated two men in whom the paralysis of the bladder and the 

 rectum grew better; sensitivity and motion returned, but the gait 

 remained uncertain. Both of them had to be sent home as unable 

 to continue working. 



