NA TURE 



55: 



THURSDAY, APRIL 12, ic 



Till: PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT OF LIFE IN 

 THE ALPS. 



Hohenklima und Bergwanderungen in ihrer wirkung 

 aiif den Menschen. By N. Zuntz, A. Loewy, F. 

 Muller, and W. Caspari. Pp. xvi + 494, and tables. 

 Dedicated to E. Pniiger, in celebration of the 

 jubilee of his doctorate. (Berlin : Bong and Co., 

 1905-) 

 \ LPINE literature has a special charm; it re-kin- 

 **■ dies memories of happy hours spent among the 

 mountains, and thrills us with echoes of that intense 

 delight in life which was the prominent characteristic 

 of days in Switzerland. No doubt many things con- 

 tribute to the pleasure which the Alps give to thou- 

 sands of men and women, but one obvious and potent 

 factor is the sense of well-being; we feel that, like 

 the elixir of life, mountain air and scenery rejuvenate 

 body and mind. 



In the important work just published by Prof. 

 Zuntz, Prof. Loewy, and their comrades, a scientific 

 basis is afforded for this rejuvenating influence. The 

 volume contains an account of an expedition under- 

 taken expressly to carry out physiological investiga- 

 tions at high altitudes. Such expeditions have been 

 frequently made, the most notable being the pioneer 

 one of Paul Bert, the extensive one of Kronecker and 

 his colleagues, and those which Mosso has repeatedly 

 carried out in the Monte Rosa district. The expedi- 

 tion conducted by Prof. Zuntz has no doubt reaped 

 great advantages from the study of the work of its 

 predecessors, and the results achieved are in conse- 

 quence more convincing, and from the physiological 

 standpoint more valuable. 



Since the object of the expedition was the enlarge- 

 ment of physiological science, the essential features of 

 the account are of necessity somewhat technical. 

 But the volume contains many passages which are of 

 general interest, including an extensive historical ac- 

 count of earlier expeditions. There are in every one 

 of the twenty-two chapters passages which will ap- 

 peal to all those who love the Alps, for Prof. Zuntz 

 is himself one of this fraternal band, and reveals his 

 own enthusiasm not only by the character of the de- 

 scriptive writing, but more directly by the interpolation 

 of many beautiful Alpine illustrations. Moreover, 

 such practical details as clothing, food, and exercise 

 are dealt with from the alpinist's point of view, and 

 what is termed " sport " is treated in a most sugges- 

 tive way. 



To the majority of readers, especially if they should 

 be medical practitioners, the most interesting portions 

 of this really great work will be those which set forth 

 the peculiarities of the climate in high altitudes and 

 the influence which these peculiarities must exert, not 

 only on vigorous athletes who climb the topmost 

 peaks, but on the ever-increasing number of less am- 

 NO. 1902, VOL. 73] 



bitious mortals who seek the Alps in order to restore 

 shattered health, or to check the advance of disease. 

 In chapter xx. the benefits and dangers of life in 

 moderately high altitudes are set forth in the light of 

 the results of the expedition ; the new basis for esti- 

 mating the value of such benefit or the extent of 

 such danger which is given in this part of the work 

 should of itself secure the general reputation of the 

 volume owing to its direct bearing upon some of the 

 most important hygienic topics of the day. 



It is impossible in the short space of this notice to 

 do justice to such a compreTiensive volume, but since 

 the essence of the work lies in the physiological effects 

 which were observed at high altitudes, and these form 

 the basis referred to in the preceding paragraph, a 

 brief summary of the physiological results must be 

 attempted. In order to realise their nature, the plan 

 of the expedition will be first described. 



Two physiological professors, two assistant pro- 

 fessors, and two younger members of the medical pro- 

 fession engaged in physiological research formed the 

 personnel of the expedition. For more than twelve 

 months each member of the party had made elaborate 

 experiments of a preliminary character in the Berlin 

 laboratories in order to become efficient in the quanti- 

 tative work necessary for the investigation of the body 

 metabolism. The details of the expedition were 

 planned with great care and forethought ; valuable 

 aid was afforded by Prof. Kronecker, of Berne, and 

 Prof. Mosso, of Turin, the most essential feature of 

 this help being the offer of the working laboratories 

 established in the Brienz district by Kronecker and in 

 the Monte Rosa district by Mosso. In July, 1901, 

 the actual work was begun at Brienz. This is situ- 

 ated at the east end of the lake of that name, and lies 

 at the height of 1857 feet; it is connected by a moun- 

 tain railway with the summit of the Brienz Rothhorn 

 (7713 feet). At Brienz each member of the party, by 

 strict diet and other precautions, placed himself in a 

 condition of nitrogenous equilibrium, that is, a condi- 

 tion in which the quantity of nitrogen assimilated 

 from the food is equal to that excreted in twenty-four 

 hours. After a few days the party divided, three 

 members going by train to the summit of the Brienz 

 Rothhorn, the others remaining at the lower level ■ 

 both groups performed given amounts of muscular 

 exercise and conducted similar physiological investi- 

 gations. Finally the groups changed places, and the 

 work was continued as before. This formed the first 

 part of the inquiry ; the second part was of a more 

 severe character. Starting from that delightful 

 vallev in which Gressoney-la-Trinite nestles amongst 

 the flowery slopes of the Lysthal, the party ascended 

 to the Col d'Olen, where, at a height of 9420 feet, 

 Mosso has established his lower mountain laboratory. 

 After spending some days in preparations, four mem- 

 bers of the party and Prof. Sella, of Rome, climbed 

 with guides and porters to the summit of the Signal 

 Kuppe or Point Gnifetti of Monte Rosa, 14,965 feet. 

 Here they stayed for seven days in the hut, now 

 widely known as the Capanna Osservatorio Regina 

 Margherita, which was erected for experimental pur- 



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