Increased Pressure 1013 



bubbles of air in the veins of the brain, with emphysemas in several 

 places, both in the interior and on the exterior, and quite agreeing 

 with what P. Bert had observed and reported as being the physiologi- 

 cal effect of passing from a high pressure to the atmospheric pressure. 

 The last autopsy seems also to show that three quarters of an hour 

 is too short a time to avoid dangers, when the pressure is 3Vfe atmos- 

 pheres. However it is not impossible that the hearty meal of vege- 

 tables which was in the stomach had something to do with the acci- 

 dent. 



I treated in the hospital fourteen patients, one of whom died 

 and two were sent home as incapable of resuming work. Eleven 

 cases were less severe; they were cured after several days; in all, the 

 characteristic symptoms were observed in a greater or less degree, 

 particularly severe pains in the limbs, cardiac pressure, painful respira- 

 tion, cyanosis, pain on pressure along the vertebral column ill the 

 lumbo-dorsal region, dragging gait, difficulty in urination; in two cases, 

 complete paralysis of the bladder, rectum, and lower parts, with 

 asthenia. I did not notice the development of emphysemas under the 

 skin; but the workmen state that they exist. I was present at the 

 moment when the workmen left the bell, and I did not observe this 

 symptom; but I should add that none of the workmen whom I ex- 

 amined in this way fell ill. 



Since the two cases in which the paralysis improved, but the 

 conditions of the patients remained such that they could not resume 

 their work and had to be sent home, one to Prague and the other 

 to Milan, were very similar, I shall describe one. 



Eger Mayer Francois, 34 years old, strongly built, was taken to 

 the hospital July 23, 1875; he had fallen ill immediately after his 

 exit from the bell; ordinary pains, complete paralysis in the lower 

 parts, bladder and rectum, much pain on pressure on the lumbo- 

 dorsal regions. Cupping-glasses, induced electric currents, lukewarm 

 baths, and shower-baths were used. After August 1, he could urinate, 

 the paralysis of the rectum continued, there was a little catarrh of 

 the bladder, but the urine was normal. August 18, he could stand 

 erect and walk with crutches, and then with two sticks. His condition 

 improved perceptibly, he took steam baths, nux vomica, and con- 

 tinued the electricity; at last the paralysis of the rectum improved 

 also; he took longer walks, but his gait remained unsteady. Novem- 

 ber 2, he was sent to Prague, and recently I learned that he had died 

 after quite a long stay in the hospital. 



The condition of the second patient was almost the 1 same, only 

 the paralysis of the bladder lasted longer; after a stay of several 

 months in the hospital he could take long walks. But as he could 

 not resume work he had to be sent back to Milan. 



The Company of Fives-Lille, which was carrying out this work, 

 having consulted me in regard to these disturbing symptoms, I 

 gave advice as follows: (1) to make the decompression still slower; 

 (2) to set up heating apparatus to spare the workmen the unen- 

 durable pains and dangers of a chill in the decompression chamber. 



