High Altitude and Its Effect on the Human Body. I

Abstract

This paper is a report of the experimental data, mainly physiologic, concerning high altitude flying (up to 40,000 feet) obtained during the last two years in the Laboratory for Research in Aviation Medicine of the Section on Metabolic Research of the Mayo Clinic. The work has centered in the main around two subjects (1) anoxia (insufficient oxygen) caused by low barometric pressure and practical methods of its prevention, and (2) the dangers of aeroembolism and methods of avoiding the same. Training methods for aviation personnel in these subjects, and the necessity therefore, have been mentioned briefly.