Contribution to the Physiologj'^ of Respiration under the Arctic Climate. ЦЗ 



vary far beyond the limits I had previously considered as "normal", 

 so far as I was concerned. 



On November 2nd I returned to the ship after a sledge-journej' 

 of 6 weeks, which had been very fatiguing. Such a journey has in 

 several respects quite a considerable effect physiologically; I would 

 take the occasion, therefore, with this experimental series in mind, 

 to refer to some conditions which may be of importance in judging it. 



During the journey metabolism was greatly increased; we ate 

 enormously twice a day and worked vigorously and unceasingly in 

 the interл'al. The sleep at night was often uneasy and insufficient, 

 and no inconsiderable amount of heat was required to thaw the 

 frozen sleeping bag. As an example it may be mentioned, that the 

 sleeping bag of one of my comrades on the journey proved to 

 contain on our return 7 kilos, of ice in the inner, hairy layer. As 

 a rule, therefore, one loses not a little weight on the first part of 

 the journey; if the journey lasts some time, one learns to eat so 

 enormously, that the loss is for the most part made up. After the 

 return, the habit of eating a great deal is maintained for a time 

 and one thus regains in weight, until the appetite again accomodates 

 itself to the changed conditions. My weight before the journey, on 

 -'^/я, was 665 kilos., on the return, -^/ii, 645 kilos., a week later, on 

 ^^/11, I weighed 685 kilos, and had thus increased about 05 kilo, 

 per day; then the increase in weight became less; on the V12, I 

 reached 70 kilos. Then the weight began to decline quite slowly, as 

 is usual under conditions of sedentary work. 



The great increase in weight during the first days was, however, 

 perhaps only partially real; a few days after the return, namely, a 

 very considerable œdematous swelling developed on the feet and 

 lowermost part of the crura. This phenomenon is said to be fairly 

 well-known among soldiers after a fatiguing march; I have not 

 observed such a thing on myself at home, though I have gone very 

 long distances on foot; on the other hand, I saw the oedema appea- 

 ring on another occasion during the Expedition, after a 19 hours' 

 continuous march in somewhat trackless territory. It was then less 

 obstinate perhaps than after the sledge-journey, occurring at a time 

 of year when one could get about, but had for the rest quite the 

 same character. The characteristic thing about this oedema was, 

 that it was very little affected by lying down; in the morning it 

 w^as just as pronounced as in the evening; on the other hand, it 

 completely disappeared after a quick walk of an hour and again 

 reached its maximum after sitting still for a couple of hours. The 

 urine contained no albumen or sugar, and investigation of the heart 

 showed nothing striking whatsoever. The physical strength was on 



