Diving Bells and Suits 385 



Dryness of the pharynx, a considerable decrease of the urinary 

 secretion, a sensation of respiratory improvement, for it seemed to 

 me that I had never breathed so freely, and so easily. 



As for the pulse, we did not obtain a very definite result; how- 

 ever, in most of our workmen, it seemed to us that the rate had de- 

 creased by a few beats. (P. 598.) 



The symptoms observed were: 



1. In seven workmen, epistaxis, not serious; 



2. In eleven workmen, pains in the thoracic and abdominal 

 members, sometimes crushing, lancinating, excruciating. 



3. Severe itching on the legs, unaccompanied by pain, a very fre- 

 quent symptom. (P. 605.) 



M. Barella calls attention to the fact that none of these symp- 

 toms occurred during the stay in compressed air; they were ob- 

 served only when the workmen were leaving the apparatuses. 

 Moreover, they began to appear only above 2.8 atmospheres. 



M. Barella says that the little wounds which the laborers 

 inflicted on themselves while at work did not bleed, "which is 

 explained by the pressure on the cutaneous teguments." 



A student at the School of Mines of Liege, who went down 

 into the shaft April 15, experienced' on his exit very serious symp- 

 toms, which he describes himself in the following words: 



During the decompression, I felt a discomfort which I attributed 

 to the cold. 



After I had come out, when I wished to raise my right arm, I 

 could not make it reach a definite point without making the effort 

 two or three times. My sight was affected, and I saw my arm moving 

 much as one perceives objects after he has whirled about several 

 times. 



The paralysis grew worse and it became impossible for me to 

 move my arm which hung inert, I could not even make motions with 

 my hand. The phenomenon was rather like that of an arm which has 

 gone to sleep. It appeared progressively and in the same manner in 

 my right leg. 



They placed me on a bed, for I could not walk, I sank down. 

 They rubbed me. I was dazzled and my eyes refused to serve me at 

 all. I saw only at long intervals, and for a second at the most, then 

 everything disappeared to reappear only after a few moments in the 

 same way. My eyes were dull and glassy, they told me, and perceived 

 only a white, vaporous light. 



I recovered the use first of my leg, then of my arm; the instants 

 during which I could see grew closer together, and I saw distinctly 

 for longer periods. 



Finally no symptom was left except a violent headache and the 

 usual signs of a fit of indigestion. I threw up my food. My headache 

 disappeared in the open air, and I went home, having nothing but 

 fatigue to remind me of my former experiences. 



