SCIENTIST IN A GLASS CASE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3485, 13 May 1920, Page 2

SCIENTIST IN A GLASS CASE.

----u--- -. SEALED Ul7" FOR SIX DAYS.

A daring experiment. bearing on aviation, has to be laicl ‘to the credit of a. middle-aged Cambridge don, Mr Joseph Barcroft, F.R.5.,. reader in physiology at, Canxbridge‘ Univel'sity. To carry out-the experinlellt he wws shut up for six days in a sealed glass case. .

The question ixivolvetl was wh.et.hel' one could. cwulculzrre the quantity ‘of oxygen necessary to an airuian at high altitudes. The case in which Ml‘ Barcroft was shut up for six (lays was specially erected in :1 quiet. room in the physiological labol'atol‘_v. The case is about 7ft high and about ten foot bread. The floor. walls, and roof are made of glass, llel'me'lically sealed, and divided into two compartnlollts—one fitted with :1 lounge Chair and tzible, and the other with :1 single bed. At the foot of the bed is :1 peddling apparatus. consisting of 21 frzime of :1 bicycle, from Wliich the front wheel has been removed_. and a, ‘small back wheel with a brake attached, to enable. Mr Barcroft 01; get some exercise, and cause 21 certain amount of work to be done. .-»

During his six days in this case, Ml‘ Barcroft spent his ‘titne in work relating to the expCl‘illle_nts, in taking‘ exercise on the bicycle, and in sleeping. He was kept under obsCl'vu‘(ion day and night t~o ensure his pel'sollal sai'et.y, undergraduates and others ‘taking it in turn to "keep watch. "' AIR AS AT 16,000 FEE’l‘.

Although nitrogen was ‘continually introcluced into the chamber the air beuume gmdlially rarer in oxygen, until it zlppl'oxinlatod to that of an altitll«leot'_l6,ooo feel“, when ‘Mr Barcroft who has hail an experience of mountaineering, experienced considerable inconvenience from sickness and sleeplessness and also -an indisposition to take any food. At the close of the experiment. some blood was taken from Mr Bare,roft’S arm. The oxygen the blood contained was separated, and it was found to agree with the exp:-ctatioxis of the experiment.

Mr Barcroft confesses to having felt rather shaken up after his velease from the glass‘ case. but does not look much ‘the Worse for his experience. The experiment is regarded as tlzoroughly successful. and 3, scientific exposition of it will be laicl. before the next meeting of the British Association, wlmro Mr Barcroftz will be president of the pllysio'i'6g*’lcal section.