INCREASE OF ENERGY EXCHANGE 607 



it is of considerable interest that according to Durig 's state- 

 ments quite large dosages of grape sugar were consumed 

 on Monte Eosa just as readily as in the flat country and 

 that ceteris paribus, the respiratory quotient manifested 

 no alteration in the former place. 



Increase of Energy Exchange. A very important re- 

 sultant symptom of living at high altitudes is the increase 

 of the minimal metabolism. "By determining the amount 

 of energy exchange at different altitudes, " says Durig, 65 

 "it is plainly shown that at the higher levels an increase of 

 the combustion processes appears, suggested even in the 

 lower elevations. This increase was present on Monte Eosa 

 within the first hour of arrival, and disappeared only on 

 our return into the valley, suddenly as it had appeared. 

 While a flame burns more lively in atmospheres with the 

 richer supply of oxygen, our body exhibits the opposite 

 behavior. A more abundant supply of oxygen may not be 

 able to quicken its oxidation processes ; a diminished chance 

 of acquiring oxygen stimulates them. ..." 



The capacity to perform mechanical work seems ap- 

 preciably diminished at high elevations; thus Zuntz and 

 Schumburg found their ability to perform labor on the top 

 of Monte Eosa only approximately one-third of their ca- 

 pacity in Berlin. E. P. Fuchs found that in manual labor 

 the oxygen consumption at a level of 3000 metres was dis- 

 tinctly, although not very greatly increased ; a very marked 

 increase became evident, however, at levels above 4000 

 metres (although in this matter the influence of acclima- 

 tion and training should be regarded as of decided impor- 

 tance). It may thus become appreciable why in case of 

 most of the mountain climbers the mountain sickness does 

 not show itself below levels of over 4000 metres. 66 How- 

 ever, it is impossible without further investigation to under- 



"A. Durig, Wiener klin. Wochenschr., 24, No. 18. 



w R. F. Fuchs and T. Deimler, Sitzber. d. phyeik. med. Soc., Erlangen, 41, 

 1909; Centralbl. f. d. ges. Biol., 10, No. 708. 



