Summary and Discussion 333 



done the same long before him, of a great excitability of temper. 

 On the other hand, de Saussure admits that he did not work with 

 much zest on the summit of Mont Blanc. M. Lepileur goes further 

 and relates (page 103) that he and his companions journeyed me- 

 chanically, without thinking, so to speak, He attributes to this 

 mental prostration the contradictions which he notes in the 

 accounts of mountain climbers who preceded him. As for me, who 

 have read hundreds of accounts of ascents, in the collections of 

 Alpine clubs of all nations, I cannot help thinking that their mon- 

 otony, their lack of real interest, the want of more than average 

 thoughts which characterizes almost all of them, result largely 

 from the unconscious state of mental depression of their authors, 

 caused by the sojourn in lofty places. The average account of 

 ascents to lower levels is infinitely more interesting, richer in out- 

 side observations and evidences of intellectual activity; gymnastic 

 feats and culinary preoccupations are much less in evidence in 

 all cases. 



Aeronauts have noted similar facts, that is, slow depression 

 leading to indifference and sleep: "The mental powers fail before 

 the physical powers. First one loses memory and care. He forgets 

 to give heed to the balloon; soon a slow and gentle sleep lulls all 

 the members" (Robertson, page 183). In other cases, there is a 

 strange excitement. Finally, at great heights, the aeronaut, even 

 in the most complete physical calm, is suddenly struck by complete 

 insensibility. That happens to Zambeccari and M. Glaisher. 



Such are the grievous symptoms produced by the influence of 

 lofty places. At the beginning, a sensation of inexplicable fatigue, 

 short respiration, rapid panting, violent and hasty palpitations; 

 distaste for food; then, buzzing in the ears, respiratory distress, 

 dizziness, vertigo, weakness constantly increasing, nausea, vomit- 

 ing, drowsiness; finally, prostration, dimming of the vision, various 

 hemorrhages, diarrhea, and loss of consciousness. Such is the as- 

 cending series of symptoms, in proportion to the altitude reached. 

 Among all the accounts which we have collected, which picture 

 vividly all these distresses, in my opinion, there is none which is 

 more vivid and complete than that of Tschudi, falling unconscious 

 on the ground, in the icy Puna of Peru (see page 47) . 



Even death, an immediate death, may be the result of these 

 serious symptoms. We have given some instances of this in the 

 Andes (see pages 25, 33, 37, 43) and in the Himalayas (page 137). 

 And it is not only men who may succumb; animals, cats, dogs, 

 camels, mules and horses in particular, die still oftener. 



The intensity of these symptoms is considerably aggravated 



