372 Historical 



Was seated with his feet in the fire, so that several of his toes were 

 burned without his feeling the heat. 



He had not become sick immediately, and as he had had pains 

 in his legs for days before, he had not called the doctor until several 

 hours after leaving the cylinder. 



Two days afterwards he was cured except for his burns. 



IV. Similar case. Hemoptysis. Cured. 



V. 18 years old, October 3. Four hours under pressure; fell 

 unconscious while being decompressed .... In a semi-comatose state, 

 responded when stimulated and fell back into unconsciousness. The 

 symptoms of coma passed in 18 hours; he was then totally paralyzed 

 from the fourth rib. Retention of urine, loss of sensation, and other 

 symptoms of diseases of the cervical medullary region. 



Died in the hospital 162 days afterwards; never regained sensi- 

 bility or movement. 



VI. 30 years old. Identical symptoms; except that the paralysis 

 began only with the eighth dorsal vertebra. Lived 30 days. 



Many other cases of slight paralysis, muscular pains, and other 

 nervous affections were also observed. 



Unfortunately no autopsy could be made. 



We shall see later the explanation which the two English physi- 

 cians gave of these data. 



In 1859, a work of the greatest importance, the bed of the piers 

 of the bridge from Strassburg to Kehl, was carried out with the 

 use of compressed air. Two interesting Memoirs, one more 'par- 

 ticularly pathological, the other more physiological, reported to 

 us the sensations felt, the phenomena observed, and the symptoms 

 which appeared. The first in date is that of Dr. Francois; 19 we shall 

 discuss that one first. 



The author begins by describing briefly the apparatuses used 

 in the construction of the bridge. One shift lasted four hours, and 

 there were eight hours of rest between shifts. The total pressure 

 rose to 3V2 atmospheres. According to the rules, the decompres- 

 sion should have taken from 6 to 8 minutes up to 2 atmospheres; 

 from 12 to 15 minutes up to 3 atmospheres; but the carelessness 

 of the laborers almost always prevented strict carrying out of this 

 rule. 



Physiological effects. Easier, less frequent respiration; greater 

 expansion of the chest, "which explains itself;" circulation accel- 

 erated during the compression, then slowing at the time of the 

 return to open air; perceptible loss of weight, even in the work- 

 men who had no pains. 



The author does not give much time to these data, and says 

 that they will be discussed in the work of M. Bucquoy which we 

 shall review presently. 



