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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1941-07-17, Page 7THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1041 THE SEAFORTH NEWS BLACKOUTS AND BENDS There are four distinct sets of circumstances under which an avia- tor may lose consciousness with little or no warning, and although the re- sult is the same, the cause and pre- vention are altogether different in the various cases. The first . and perhaps the bust known is the "blackout" suffered by the occupants of a plane when its. direction is suddenly changed mobilo travelling at high speed—like the case of a giant bomber coming out of a power dive, a racing plane turning around the pylons on the course, or a pursuit plane performing maneu- vers at high speed. The factor res- ponsible here is centrifugal force; that is, the movable contents of the plane try to keep on going in the same direction as they were traveling before the pilot altered the direction of the plane. And, although you might not immediately think of it, among the movable contents of the plane is the blood in the pilot's art- eries—a movable item which is pull- ed toward the pilot's feet by a force that may; when a plane is suddenly pulled out of a power dive, reach 7 to 10 G -'s. that. is, 7 to 10 times the force of gravity, The result is that a considerable part of the pilot's blood is held in his legs and feet and is not returned to the heart to be pumped out again. Consequently its blood Pressure falls sharply, he becomes blind, and he may lose consciousness. And thus the problem here is not one of speed or altitude, but one of a sudden change in direction. The "blackout" is brief because it was due to centrifugal force brought into play by the change in direction: it ceases operating as soon as the plane flattens out on a new course, and the pilot quickly recovers. The second type of blaekput is that due to insufficient oxygen in the blood. This is encountered as one as- cends in a plane until there no loug- er is enough oxygen in the air inhal- ed to meet the needs of the body for this essential gas. It is generally known that the total at mo pl'ru- pressure diminishes progressively as one ascends above sea level. And it's almost as generally known perhaps that since the proportion of oxygen. in the atmosphere remains quite constant at about 21 per cent. the pressure of oxygen as inhaled must also diminish to exactly the same extent as the total pressure does. What is net so generally realized, however, is the fact that the water vapor and carbon dioxide that are continually being exhaled from the lungs continue to be given oft in the sane amount at high altitudes as at sea level, and furthermore, that at, high altitudes these exhaled gases will expand as the atmospheric pres- sure diminishes until—at about 50,- 000 feet, or roughly 10 miles, they will occupy all of the airbearing space in the lungs: When this hap - ,pens, none of the air inhaled can get into the deeper parts of the lungs and the individual would have no oxyg- een at all in his blood even though he was breathing pure oxygen as deeep- ly as possible. Most of us have thought, rather naively as it turns out. that as long as a pilot breathes pure oxygeu, he can go in safety as high as a plane can climb. Actually, even though pure oxygen Is breathed, signs of insufficient oxygen intake begin at an altitude of less than 30,000 feet,.., and at 40,000 feet they may be quite severe. Without oxygen most pilots are likely to lose consciousness at 20-25,000 feet. For pilots breathing pure oxygen the corresponding fig- ure lies at about 40,-45,000 feet. The highest altitude ever reached in an open airplane is about 47,000 feet, and this pilot barely survived. A 'tblaekout" due to insufficient oxy- gen could be very rapid if, in a seal- ed cabin plane operating at 40,000 feet or higher a large leak were sud- denly to develop, and the sante thing would happen if the pumps that compress the air were suddenly to go out of commission. Even if the occupants were immediately to re- sort to oxygen inhalation, they might suffer a "blackout" unless the plane quickly dropped to a level where the atmospheric pressurewas higher, and therefore, more conduc- ive to the occupants' well being. Flights at altitudes of 40,000 feet or more therefore can never be outer than hazardous undertakings even in sealed cabin planes. A third type of "blackout"—again altogether different—has to do with the counterpart in the aviator of "the bends" a8 encountered by the diver when he conies to the surface too quickly, In the case of the diver, each 32 feet of salt water means One more atmosphere of pressure that mustbe built up within his 118111181 and suit to enable him to breathe, and at 100 feet below the surface a diver therefore would be breathing air under a pressure of 4 atmos- pheres, that is, the atmosphere he started with and an additional one for each 33 feet of submergence. Bit- ter experience has taught that if such a diver comes rapidly to the Duplicate Monthly Statements We can save you money on Bill and Charge Forms, standard sizes to tit Ledgers, white or colors. It will pay you to see our samples. Also best quality Metal Hinged Sec- tional Post Binders and Index The Se !forth News PHONE lye The World's News Seen Through THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR An international Daily Newspaper is Trt}thful -Constructive—Unbiased—Free from Sensational. ism-- Editorial4 Are Timely and Instructive and Its Daily Features, Together with the Weekly Magazine Section, Make the Monitor an Ideal Newspaper for the Home. The Christian. Science Publishing Society One, Norway Street, Boston, Massachusetts Price 812,00 Yearly, or $1.00 a Month: Saturday Issue, including Magazine Section, 82.60 a Year. Introductory Offer, 6 Issues 25 Cents Name Address SAMPLE COPY ON REQUEST i Y l surface after he has been under wat- 1 SCHOOLTEACHING IN or for more than a very brief time, he will suffer a set of symptoms known as "the bends" (because of pains in the limbs and joints) or "the chkoes" (because of cough and in the chest). If he has been under water for some length of time and then comes rapidly to the surface: he may lose consciousness and die. The cause of these symptoms ie well known: It is liberation of bubbles of nitrogen from the blood. when the at- mospheric pressure is suddenly re- duced, the picture being comparable to the effervescence that occurs in a bottle of soda or a bottle of beer when the nap is removed. An aviator rapidly asbending from sea level to an altitude of about 33,- 000 feet is in exactly the same dan- ger of "the bends" as a diver com- ing up from 100 feet below the sur- face in the sante period of time. In other words, the atmospheric press- ure at 33,000 feet is just one quarter of that at sea level and the aviator ascending to that height and the diver coming up from submergence at 100 feet are both being de- compressed in the ratio of four to one. Many of the modern aircraft can climb from sea level to 33,000 feet in less than 80 minutes, but their human occupants would be a1 - most as certain to have a serious at- tack of "the bends" as the diver would if he Dame up from 100 feet within 30 minutes, and that is very certain indeed. If the nitrogen bub- bles happened to obstruct important blood vessels in the brain, or if they formed a froth in lite heart, either aviator or diver might have a rapid "blackout." Inhalation of oxygen is no remedy for this situation; in fact, the only effective, treatment is rapid re -compression" by coming down to a lower altitude. The fourth forst of "black -out" is one that may occur when an aviator suddenly ingresses the proportion of oxygen in ltiselungs after he has been getting along on a sub -normal supply for some time, There is at least one case on record of a pilot who took off his oxygen mash at a high altitude to make some repair or another and who became unconscious and collapsed inunediately when he put the mask on and began to breathe oxygen again. It is probable WARTIME BRITAIN Through a gap Ina hedge in a se - eluded cquntry lane on a spring day in 1941, the visitor concerned with tate future of British youth might have seen a reassuring vignette. For there was disclosed one of the good things brought about through the ex- igencies of war—a class of small children from the city, well wrapped up, wind -tanned and sturdy, sketch- ing a water tower, with the mill - wheel and waterfall beside it. Back of the transformation which has brought the beauties of the countryside into the experience of hundreds of thousands of children and teachers front elementary and se- condary schools in the towns. lies a story of prodigious hard work, the overcoming of many difficulties, the adjustment to an altered scheme, de- signed as a temporary measure but in effect a permanency until the end of tete war. "Once upon a time" it seems now —actually it was in September, 1939 —a party of dusty, hot, thirsty child- ren, with gas masks slung over shoul- der. name and school ticket fastened on coat, each carrying a few belong- ings packed by "Mother" back in the city, clambered out of the train et the village station and looked round vaguely for the familiar red outline of the "bas," But it wasn't there. This was just the first of the many familiar things they were go- ing to learn to do without during the coming months and years. Soon they began to realize some of the others— no school, no "Mummie," no fish -and - chips, no "pictures". . . Just "tea- cher" left to do everything in those first difficult hours. And what a task the teachers had in arranging for these children to be suddenly transplanted from the East End of a great: city into the depth of the country. The first problem was to find a school. The village hall pre- sented itself as a rather cold', gaunt, unyielding proposition. But it had a roof. And gradually as oilsloves were Procured for heating. cretonne cur- tains hung at the windows, and some chairs borrowed from the vicar, it began to take on the appearance of a schoolroom. But it was much too small and the only place for the over - that a similar situation may be flow class was at the village inn. brought about during a rapid dive The teacher settled the children from nn altitude at which severe into their billets. Then caste the effects of oxygen -lack are apt to walks to explore the countryside. For occur—say 15,000 feet or higher—to thousands of slum children the first a lower altitude where the oxygen of these was one of the most m0n1- pressure is higher. It is also possi- eaves discoveries in" their young bie that a similar state of affairs , lives. may exist in those people on the Many had never seen. green fields earth's- surface who, following a before. Soon, however, they were period of severe obstruction in the thoroughly at home, reveling in new larnxy or traches, have the obstruc- adventures and making themselves tion suddenly relieved by a suitable operation. Most of these patieats proceed to make an uneventful re- covery, but some of them do not, and why they do not has been a great puzzle. It is probable that the common factor in all such cases—in aviators as well as in these patients —is that oxygen -lack damages the brain but at the same time gives rise to a barrage of nerve impulses from the carotid and aortic bodies—strue- tures that seem to be survivors in air -breathing animals of the more primitive organization for gill breathing in a fish. These nerve im- pulses aroused in the carotid and aortic bodies by oxygen -lack appar- ently are able to overcome the de- pressant effects of oxygen -want on the brain and the individual remains more or less active and alert. Now one or two breaths of air richer fn oxygen will increase the amount of oxygen in the blood and thus put the carotid and aortic bodies out of action, leaving unopposed the de- pressant effects on the brain, Under such circutiistances eousciousness may suddenly be lost, and a fatal crash might occur •before it was re- gained—a crash that would be blam- ed on plane faildre when actually it was due to pilot failure. And since the fundamental difficulty here is damage to the brain by oxygen -want of considerable severity and for a! considerable time, a "biaeeitout" of this sort can be prevented by avoid- ing oxygen -want, that is by using oxygen before the symptoms arise rather than afterward. These examples will serve at least to indicate the' nature of the physiological problems that have arisen from the recent advances in aeronautical engineering. Merchant Tailor—"1 am sorry to say it, Mr. Goodheart, but as this 15 to line your wedding suit I must de- mand cash on delivery." Mr. Goodheart—"Eh? Why, Save had an account with you for years, and I've always paid promptly to the ]tour, the very 'hour, sir!" Merchant' Tailor—"Yes, Mr. Good - heart, but you were a bachelor, and had the handling of your own money." "You do • keep your car Well cleaned," "It's only fair. My car keeps me well cleaned, too," PAGE SEVEN viaamonommellawil useful by collecting acorns, selling them to the local farmers for animal' food. They gave the money to 'the Spitfire Fund. Since that time tate teacher has been able ,to arrange for children to help the farmers in various ways. Many of those billeted on farms de- termined that they are going to work on the land when they leave school. Spring and summer vacations have been re -arranged in many districts so that children can help with potato - sowing, fruitpickiug, haymaking and so on. This has meant that the teachers in most cases have had to forego the long holidays which they valued so much before the war. Their vacations are "staggered" so that there is al- ways someone on duty to keep an eye on the children and do for them many of the email tasks which "11/10 - thee did at home, Clothes and footwear are two big problems hi the country, and teacher and foster -parent have had to use much ingenuity. The village people in some districts have helped in this re- spect. They have arranged sewing parties and, in consultation with the teachers, have recut old clothes and made them into new ones. and patch- ed and mended rents and terms made by energetic youngsters in getting through fences and jumplug ditches. The teacher has to be prepared to meet many and unexpected problems as they arise. Just recently there seemed to be in some places a short- age of milk bottles. As each child In the Infants school is allowed one third of a pint. of milk each day, the staff has to divide up the milk which used to come in half-pint bottles and now arrive in quart containers. The task of co-ordination falls heavily on a headteacher whose school has been scattered over a wide tn•5a, In. 80(05 arses the children are divided up among many small villages. Int 008 case in the, home counties the area covered was 20 utiles. The bead -teacher had to buy a bicycle in order to keep in toucli with her staff and childreen. In another case a headmaster had his pupils distributer) among four dif- ferent schools in a new neighborhood. School staff hi "reception" areas have had 0 differentset of problems to face in roping with then visitors. If other accommodation was not available for use of the evacuees, the local school buildings had to bo shar- ed by the regular inhabitants and their visitors. Consequently "stagg- ered" school hours had to be arrang- ed. the "locals" going to school in the mornings and the "visitors" in the afternoons: Alternative acconunoda- tion however was round as soon as possible. town often make problems for both; teacher and foster -parents, As in the case of children from the East End of Londou. Eight children from one family were billeted in the village in three different houses with foster - parents. A letter to "teacher" an- nounced one day that mailer and fa- ther and brothers and sisters were coming down at the week end to see "the family." They arrived—ten of them, the sons in the Army happen- ing to be on leave at the time. So this rean iced family of sigh, teen were allotted the village hall. And they so enjoyed being together again that the whole family camped out there for the Saturday night. In schools stn the outskirts of Lon- don, where evacuation is ouly volun- tary, still other difficulties" occur, Every week fresh children are seat to school in the country by their par- ents, and at the same time others are returning, The attendance its con- stantly fluctuating. The children re. turn but there are not enough teach- er's. Men teachers have joined the fight• ing servcies, others are in the cowl, try. Thus, until recently in one Lon- don school three teachers attempted to cope with nearly 200 children of different grades. "We keep them 01• eupied" was the teaeliers' laconic re• ply to inquiries as to how they -man aged, Amid the great material changes which have been taking place since the outbreak of war have also come intellectual changes. Just as the hor- izons of the children have, in many cases, been extended, so the thought of the teachers is being widened. It ie sometimes said that teacher's are dis- heartened. disgruntled, and cynical. Such attack is mainly leveled against those who were never fitted to be teat -hers and who unfortunately real- ised it when it was too late, On the whole the teaching profes- sion still looks primarily to the fur- theriug of educational ideals. The raising of the school -leaving age, they feel• is t very necessary improve- ment. But the more thoughtful looks beyond this to a revolution in the ap- proach to the problem of national ed- ucation. There should 115 a resoiutiaa and direct advance toward a more defunct itis system of education, be feels. An excited female voice cane over the phone: "Two boys are trying to break into my room through the window.' "Listen. lady. you've got the wrong number'," answered tate voice. "This isn't police headquarters; this is the fire department." "I know." she answered, "but my room is on the second floor and they Visits of parents from the home need a ladder." FIRST CANADIAN FORT IS REBUILT. A9 ova Scotia went back more 11 than 300 years for the plans which were used in reconstruct- ing the Port Royal Habitation, which housed the first Europeans to settle in America north of the Gulf of Mexico —and which was recently opened to the public by the Hon. T. A. Crerar, Minister of Mines and Resources. That famous fort, 'where Champlain instituted the Order of the Good Time, stands today as it did when hardy French explbrers ffiade it their headquarters in 1605. The rambling log buildings, as much like the original as human ingenuity could make theta, are the product of hyo' -a Scotia craftsmen. Hand-hewn beams and floor boards nee pegged into position; wrought-tron Binges ?sold the doors and solid [abutters in place, and other hand -worked iron is used for bars on the win- dows and decorative work. If it is possible for one place to be "more historic" than an- other, this one can be described only is superlatives. DeMonts and Champlain arrived in Anna- polis Basin in 1604 and named it Port Royal. The Fort built in the following year was the scene of battle after battle between the French and English and had ac- tually changed hands,eight times by 1710 when it was finally cap- tured by a strong expedition of New England troops Prom Bos- ton. The name was changed to Annapolis Royal in honor of Queen Anne who then occupied the English throne. The reconstruction of the an- cient habitation at Annapolis Royal — to give it its modern name — bas attracted wide at- tentiou in Canada and the United States. Many individuals and or- ganizations have donated ot;•i records, furnishings and other articles to lend to the authenti- city of this famous site, 20 mitts from Digby by Dominion Atia a - tic Railway. Digby is the twist - ern waterway entrance to Nova. Scotia, connection with S1let John, N.B„ being maintaine.1 tr the S.S. Princess Helene. Ooh it famous military structures etill standing at Annapolis Royal in- clude the ramparts of Fort Antro. The park, 28 acres in extent - eludes a later French fen- - pleted in 1707 and re.p! 1710, and the officers' gaaY.-•r erected by the British a t v years later. Layout she '.'.o Port Royal Eabitatiou the , :'t house, and a view showleg . wa care with which the h"nd-ha,vn beams were put in mace.