PROCEEDINGS 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



FEBRUARY 1, 1860. 



Phofessor Anderson, the President, in the Chair. 



Professor Grant, University of Glasgow; Mr. William Simons, 

 Whiteinch, Partick; Mr. Andrew M'Onie, engineer, Tradeston ; and 

 the Kev. Henry William Crosskey, were elected members of the 

 Society. 



Observations on Sensations experienced while climbing t/ie more elevated 

 ^fountains of the Andes in Peru and Bolivia. By Mathie 

 Hamilton, M.D., formerly Medical Officer to the London, Potosi> 

 and Peruvian Mining Company, Physician to Military Hospitals in 

 Peru, &c. 

 Some persons, who never climbed on their feet in elevated regions, have 

 denied that travellers in such locahties have been affected by painful 

 and difficult respiration. The doubts and assertions on this subject, have 

 originated, we may suppose, from what has been experienced in balloon 

 ascents, during which people have gone up to great elevations, without 

 being much affected in their respiratory organs. From such partial and 

 insufficient data, some persons have contradicted the statements made by 

 travellers, who, when climbing the Andes and other lofty regions, have 

 suffijred severely from painful and difficult respiration, vertigo, and 

 sickness at stomach — in some cases with vomiting and purging, head- 

 ache, and general lassitude,— in fine, all the symptoms of aggravated sea- 

 sickness. 



Without here attempting to investigate the causes of phenomena 

 which, in some cases, are the result of climbing on foot steep mountains 

 Vol. IV.— No. 5. 2 o 



