Diving Bells and Suits 389 



renew frequently through the hoisting-shaft; under this pressure of 

 two atmospheres, the workmen underwent decompression in 4 or 5 

 minutes. 



2. From 22 to 25 meters, the shifts lasted 4 hours; under this 

 pressure, the men began to feel rather severe symptoms; the decom- 

 pression took 10 minutes, the opening of the discharge cock was only 

 25 millimeters, then afterwards 18 millimeters. 



3. From 25 to 28 meters, the workmen relieved each other every 

 3 hours, and were decompressed by means of a cock, the opening 

 of which was reduced to 10 mm.; it took 16 to 17 minutes, and it was 

 while working under this pressure, that our men were most fatigued; 

 very often it happened that 4 out of 7 were affected by the pressure 

 in their legs, heads, and stomachs; in others, the decompression caused 

 paralysis of the bladder or of vision; some of these workmen expe- 

 rienced horrible sufferings for two or three days and then three or 

 four days of convalescence before being able to go back to work; 

 these were the ones most seriously affected; as for those who had 

 lighter attacks, they also experienced great pain for twenty-four hours 

 and then 1 or 2 days of inability to work. (July 22, 1875) 



As a sequel to my letter of the 22nd, I wish you to know that in 

 the last four days we have had only two workmen affected by the 

 pressure; only slightly, but enough to keep them from working; we 

 still have in the hospital 2 workmen seriously affected by the pressure 

 since the 21st on coming off duty at 6 o'clock in the evening; they 

 are paralyzed in the lower parts of their bodies, and their urine must 

 be drawn by the catheter. 



The decompression lasts on the average 18 minutes; the shifts 

 work 3 hours. (July 28) 



To continue my letter of the 28th of this month, I wish to inform 

 you that a man named R, one of the two working in the excavation 

 who were hospitalized as a result of the pressure, died today at half 

 past twelve. The second workman is out of danger, the doctors think; 

 he has recovered except that his legs are paralyzed, and they hope 

 that this trouble will soon clear up. 



The doctors claim that the death of R. is due to the pressure, 

 which probably affected the spinal cord; this man had worked before 

 in excavations with compressed air, but had never gone beyond 2.1 

 or 2.2 atmospheres. (July 30.) 



The first of the two workmen who were seriously affected and 

 whom we have just discussed returned to his home; we have had 

 no further information about him. 



As to the said R., his autopsy was performed. It resulted in 

 noteworthy findings which Dr. L. describes in a letter addressed 



i the company, and a translation of which follows: 

 r 



After opening the spinal canal, I found that at the height of the 

 thoracic vertebrae the spinal cord was very soft; for some inches it 

 was transformed into a soft, flowing mass, yellowish gray in color, 

 which above and below merged into the healthy part. 



