410 PUNA OR MOUNTAIN SICKNESS. 



from the Spaniards soon after one of our own journeys 

 across the Andes; it was that of an English traveller, 

 who from what we could learn, seems to have been a 

 retired officer of the Royal Artillery. He became 

 unconscious and never rallied. 



Fortunately however, these severe attacks are com- 

 paratively rare: and perhaps there may be idiosyn- 

 crasy in the individual, or other predisposing* causes 

 such for instance as organic disease of the heart. 



We think it well however, at this point, to say a 

 word of caution to travellers, tourists, and others who 

 think of visiting high altitudes, or of indulging in 

 mountaineering. Recollect, wherever there is a ten- 

 dency to affections of the heart or the circulatory 

 system, an ascent to high altitudes is always danger- 

 ous ; and persons who have reason to suspect that they 

 may be affected in this way should never attempt it 

 without first consulting their doctor. Persons affected 

 with valvular disease, will in fact often drown in rare- 

 fied air, much as a fish does when taken out of water. 

 A fatal case of this kind once occurred at St. Moritz 

 (6089 feet over sea-level) in the Engadine Valley, 

 when we were there. While walking past the new 

 English church one day, we observed a grave mound 

 recently thrown up in the gravel, and on making en- 

 quiries we learnt from the doctor what had happened. 

 It was the case of an English gentleman who had 

 only recently arrived at the place, and who died just in 

 this way. The funeral had taken place very early, at 

 daybreak, and so close was the matter kept at his 

 hotel, for fear of alarming visitors, that the fact of a 

 death occurring in the house was generally unknown. 

 For those who are strong, but new to the mountains, 



