Summary and Discussion 339 



of blood taking place in the muscles during their action." As to 

 the other phenomena, they are the result of congestions of the 

 lungs or the brain, caused by the constant repetition of efforts 

 made during the act of climbing. Moreover, "the rarefaction of 

 the air, making respiration more frequent and panting more rapid, 

 necessarily hastens the rest of the ordinary effects of effort." But 

 how does the rarefaction of the air make panting more rapid? That 

 is what M. Lepileur does not tell us. 



Theories of M. Lortet and M. Dujour. Here now are two very 

 important theories, which show a thorough knowledge of the most 

 difficult questions of physiology. Their place is indicated here 

 because they are, in a word, only a scientific form of the common 

 charges against fatigue and cold. 



In the opinion of M. Lortet, the body temperature of man 

 diminishes when he expends the enormous quantity of work nec- 

 essary to raise the weight of his body to a great height. We have 

 reported in full the data secured by Lortet (page 114) and the 

 theoretical conclusions which he draws from them (page 286) . Un- 

 fortunately, as MM. Forel (page 288) and Clifford-Allbutt (page 

 289) have shown, the very observations of the French physiologist 

 were wrong: the temperature of the body always rises as a result 

 of the act of ascent, as in the case of all violent gymnastics. 



Even referring to the figures of M. Lortet, who maintains that 

 from Chamounix to the Grands-Mulets the temperature dropped 

 2°, and that at Chamounix the act of walking cooled the body 1.7°, 

 serious symptoms should follow the slightest exercise at these 

 elevations, where, however, mountain sickness has never been 

 observed. Moreover, according to him, rest should restore the 

 normal temperature almost instantaneously but it is far from dis- 

 pelling all the symptoms. 



We must say, however, that M. Forel, never having had moun- 

 tain sickness, could not take his temperature in this special 

 condition; we might still say, until proved wrong, that he would 

 find it lowered in this case. But even if it v/ere so, it would still 

 have to be admitted that another element besides work must be 

 involved, and that altitude is this element. 



We shall soon discuss the theories about insufficient oxygen- 

 ation due to decreased pressure. If we introduced this new factor 

 into Lortet's theory, we should be led to think that since the work 

 of ascent requires an increased combustion, and since the propor- 

 tion of oxygen is too small, heat would be transformed into motion, 

 resulting in a drop of temperature and consequently, general dis- 

 turbances. But this drop would have to be proved, and Lortet's 



