Medical Apparatuses 413 



the sufferings of the victims, a point which is far from being proved, 

 in my opinion. 



February 28, 1812, at 11 o'clock in the morning a gallery of the 

 coal mine of Beaujeu, near Leodium, was overrun by water; there 

 were 127 workmen at a depth of 270 meters. Ninety of them were 

 cut off at the end of a gallery, in compressed air "capable of hold- 

 ing water at 64 feet in a metallic tube, so that its density was 

 double that of the atmosphere." They remained in this critical 

 position for 7 days; only 70 survived: 



As it was impossible for these unfortunate men to communicate 

 with the rest of the gallery, they remained confined in a narrow space, 

 deprived of air and everything. But their foreman Coffin and his son 

 showed heroic courage .... 



It was not possible to reach them before the seventh day. So, 

 for seven days and as many nights, they were deprived of light and 

 food, and exhausted by constant work. They suffered incredibly from 

 hunger and thirst; respiration was difficult, and the candles went out 

 for lack of air. They felt suffocating heat; their skin was dry and 

 burning. They said that the enormous pressure of the air was very 

 painful to them .... Some became mad, and the others had to aid 

 them and protect themselves against them .... 



In my opinion, the amazing density of the air was the cause of 

 these phenomena. There is no doubt that the air produced more 

 heat by its condensation, for, we know, condensation can produce fire 

 .... And therefore the processes of combustion were so accelerated 

 in the lungs that the sensation of heat can be explained. (P. 98.) 



The first publication relating to symptoms experienced by men 

 placed in compressed air was made by M. Junod. 3 He reports his 

 observations in the following words: 



When we increase by one half the natural pressure of the atmos- 

 phere on the body of the man placed in the receiver, this is what we 

 observe: 



1. The membrane of the eardrum, pushed back towards the inner 

 ear, becomes the seat of a rather unpleasant pressure. However, this 

 sensation disappears as equilibrium is reestablished. 



2. The respiratory movements go on with new ease, the capacity 

 of the lungs for air seems to increase, the aspirations are deep and 

 less frequent; after 15 minutes, one feels an agreeable warmth within 

 the thorax, one would say that the pulmonary areolae, which for a 

 long time had not known contact with the air, are expanding to receive 

 it again, and the whole system with each inspiration drinks in 

 increased life and strength. 



3. Increase of the density of the air seem to modify the circulation 

 considerably; the pulse has a tendency to become rapid; it is full and 

 not easily depressed; the caliber of the superficial venous vessels 



