PROFESSOR DAVID'S THEORY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1674, 14 February 1913, Page 5

PROFESSOR DAVID'S THEORY.

PARTY WEAKENED BY S CURVET. * By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyrJeM Sydney, February 13. Professor David, in an interview, said the idea that Captain Scott left the party and himself-with too reduced rations had been quite disproved by tho direct statement in Scott's diary regarding the details .of the dash to the Pold working to perfection. That scurvy was the, prime cause of the disaster was obvious.from tho following facl^:—Evans and Atkinson, members of the supporting party of four dispatched back to winter quarters, when Scott was within 170 miles of the Pole, contracted scurvy. The whole 1 party previous to this separation had been subsisting on exactly similar rations, and Scott's party existed on like rations from January' 3 until their death. Scurvy was still imperfectly understood; it was connected either with food which was actively deleterious to tho human system, as in the case of tainted bacon, which caused the scurvy among the Southern parly of Scott's first expedition in 1902-03, or with food that was deficient in some ingredients that were absolutely essential for tho keeping of tho body in health. That scurvy had actually attacked the Polar party seemed clear from Captain Scotfs diary, although the word "scurvy" was not expressly used. ; '

Professor David, in support of his contention, quotes the reference regarding the sicknes9 of Seaman Evang and. Captain oate9. . It-.is not clear, however, whether Wilson, Bowers, and Scott were affected by 6curvy. J [ore than probably they had then, or had just previously, li»ht attacks. Even if. they had not had scurvy, their health undoubtedly ■ would have been .weakened by the fact ■••that they, marched in long continuous gales and' experienced very low .temperatures,in which they would have been unable to perspire. "We found on the Shackleton expedition that perspiring very materially, helped to keep us in good 'health," said the Professor. Had the party not been weakened by some kind of sicknes3 they would surely have won through in spite of all the low temperatures and all the blizzards.

Referring to the shortage of fuel at the depots, Professor' David .states that .Mr. Bernard Day, who assisted in the laying of some of tho depots, assures him that a full-allowance Of .oil fuel was left at all the depot?, but tho allowance which was officially fixed—one gallon for four'men for ten hours—only" barely :suffioes for cooking in warm weather. 'No doubt in tho very severe weather encountered by Scott, at the Great Ice Barrier in March this allowance would be somewhat insufficient.. • .....

; .the;.real-cause,of"death. COMMENTS BY COMMANDER EVANS. (By Telojraph.-Press Association.)' , ChristchurcH, Ferbuary 13. Referring to tho cablegram in regard to Professor David's theory, and wtiich ho was made acquainted with, Commander Evang isaid that Professor David's statement that tho. deaths ' were caused by scurvy was but a conjecture based on sound and practical' knowledge of the difficulties attending such ia long'journey in tho Polar region, arid with man haulage; but Dr. Atkinson, who was in charge of the relief/ party, vras an .expert' in scurvy, and he states there wero .no signs of scurvy. . This being so, the deaths wore certainly due to exposure and weakness, brought on by strain owing to the "difficulty in hauling their sledges over very soft and bad surface. This in turn was duo to an, unexpected fall in tho temperature.. • "It was well known," continued the commander, - "that in Polar regions in very low temperature ice crystals-formed a cutting edge, and tho fnption on the runners of the sledges became very great. A jjarty pulling a fair load exerted a ■strain of 2201b. per man on their traces when travelling in a temperature of zero Fahrenheit. With tho temperature fallen to minui 30, this pull would bo tnoro than doubled.

Captain Scotfs message to the publio states that temperatures of minus 30 degrees and below zero were frequently experienced. It must bo obvious that after facing the ■ strain of sledge* .travelling for a distance of more than 1000 miles, to bo faced with extra pulling such as I have .described, would be enough to break down the party whatever their physique might be. "Wo in this expedition," continued the commander, "know the endurance of the men constituting the advance party,'and we do not believe that any tnan living could have won through under the circumstances." THE TERRA NOVA. Chrlstchurch, February 18/ The Terra Nova remains a month at Lyttelton. Nelson, February 13. The district conference of the Lodge to-day adopted a resolution of eor-, row at tho national calamity involved in the death of Captain Scott and his companions, and adjourned.' Tho various religious bodies in, the city have decided to hold a united memorial Bervioo to-morrow evening.