292 Historical 



Then he draws from his theory this logical conclusion: 



We are therefore led to seek a combustible food easy to digest and 

 absorb, to avoid mountain sickness. 



M. Dufour thinks that sugar syrup or better, glucose syrup would 

 fulfill these conditions. In fact, the fats, which are the best combusti- 

 ble material, require a certain time for digestion and may not be 

 digested in time to satisfy an immediate need; the feculae must be 

 transformed into sugar, glucose syrup then would be the food which 

 would reach the circulation most easily. (P. 78.) 



The discussion aroused by the important theory presented by 

 M. Dufour brought a very interesting communication from M. 

 Javelle, 130 president of the Diablerets section of the Swiss Alpine 

 Club. 



The narratives which it contains show, as we have already 

 noted, that persons attacked by mountain sickness, even very seri- 

 ously, often find that their illness disappears immediately when 

 dangers appear or when a very intense application of mind be- 

 comes necessary. 



They prove besides that these illnesses are much more frequent 

 than is generally supposed, and make a satisfactory reply to cer- 

 tain skeptics who did not hesitate to jeer at what they call the 

 exaggerations of M. de Saussure. 



Let us note that M. Javelle has had great experience on high 

 peaks, and that he has made nearly 200 ascents of 5000 to 15,000 

 feet, very often in the company of 10 to 20 young men: 



Mountain sickness very frequently appears in the medium region 

 of the Alps, between 5000 and 10,000 feet, that is, at an elevation where 

 the air is sufficient for the needs of respiration, and where one can 

 hardly consider intoxication from excess carbonic acid as an explana- 

 tion for it. At 14,000 or 15,000 feet, the illness experienced by even 

 the sturdiest mountaineers differs in several characteristics. 



Mountain sickness affects particularly persons who are unaccus- 

 tomed to the mountains, and especially those who lead a sedentary 

 life. Those who are anemic rarely escape it. Novices who begin with 

 a difficult ascent are very likely to pay tribute to it. (P. 136.) 



This illness appears especially on soft snow, turf, slopes covered 

 with landslides where walking is difficult, in small valleys and on long 

 slopes, in general, everywhere that walking is both tiresome and 

 monotonous. 



It very rarely appears during the climbing of cliffs or on ridges, 

 very rarely too on difficult or dangerous expeditions. 



An interesting conversation or merely a careful observation of the 

 landscape often wards it off. 



M. Javelle has noted that young men who made the expeditions 

 without interest or rivalry and merely to accompany their companions 

 were most often affected by it. (P. 13.) 



