Unconsciousness │ From— │ Recovery of consciousness
after— │ │ after—
│ │
30 sec. = 13.2 km. │14 km. │65 sec. = 9.7 km.
[43,310 ft.] │ [45,900 ft.] │ [31,830 ft.]
28 sec. = 14.3 km. │15 km. │96 sec. = 7.6 km.
[46,900 ft.] │ [49,200 ft.] │ [24,940 ft.]
The further experiments up to 20 km. [65,600 ft.] altitude were made
with the same procedure as those up to 15 km. [49,200 ft.], although
without knee bends during the waiting period of 10 seconds, since
unconsciousness would have occurred too soon as a result of the knee
bends and the experimenters had become convinced that rescue from these
altitudes would have to be brought about by abandonment of the aircraft
without bodily exertion (catapult seat).
(Table 5—Continued)
Unconsciousness │ From— │ Recovery of consciousness
after— │ │ after—
│ │
32 sec. = 14.7 km. │16 km. │118 sec. = 6.6 km.
[48,220 ft.] │ [52,500 ft.] │ [21,650 ft.]
27 sec. = 15.9 km. │17 km. │126 sec. = 6.3 km.
[52,150 ft.] │ [55,800 ft.] │ [20,660 ft.]
[page 21 of original]
Unconsciousness │ From— │ Recovery of consciousness
after— │ │ after—
│ │
23 sec. = 17 km. │18 km. │156 sec. = 4.6 km.
[55,800 ft.] │ [59,100 ft.] │ [15,090 ft.]
20 sec. = 18.5 km. │19 km. │173 sec. = 3.7 km.
[60,700 ft.] │ [62,300 ft.] │ [12,140 ft.]
17 sec. = 19.75 km. │20 km. │178 sec. = 3.2 km.
[61,520 ft.] │ [65,600 ft.] │ [10,500 ft.]
15 sec. = 20.875 km. │21 km. │1 min., 10 sec. after
[68,490 ft.] │ [68,900 ft.] │ reaching 0 m.
From 21 km. [68,900 ft.] altitude only one experiment was made in this
series, just as in the falling experiments, with oxygen breathing since
the pumps achieved the evacuation of the main chamber necessary for a
pressure drop to 21 km. altitude only after hours of overloading and the
fact that the mercury barometer used in these experiments had its limit
of measurement at this altitude. The two experiments were considered
only as an orientation on the behavior of the human organism at this
altitude at which the ebullition point of the blood had already been far
surpassed. A systematic working over of these altitudes must be carried
on with perfected measuring instruments and a two-stage pump aggregate
in a new experimental series.
The result of this falling experiment from 21 km. altitude was made
unreliable through the fact that the subject experienced a paralysis of
breathing from 11 to 7 km., through which his recovery was doubtless
greatly delayed. However, no permanent damage occurred.
_4. Falling experiments with oxygen breathing_
Falling experiments with oxygen breathing were undertaken only in small
numbers for crude orientation for the following reasons: The altitude
[page 22 of original]
was limited by the available equipment to a maximum of 21 km. [68,900
ft.], but indeed from this altitude falling experiments without oxygen
breathing had already been profitably carried out. It is self-evident
that oxygen breathing during parachute jumps from such extreme altitudes
greatly increases in any case the chances of success of the jump and,
therefore, is to be unconditionally demanded. For that reason it
devolved upon the experimenters only to determine to what degree the
results of the experiments are influenced by oxygen breathing,
especially in regard to the recovery of consciousness, which, of course,
followed without oxygen only at relatively low altitudes. As was to be
expected, these experiments showed clearly the favorable effect of
oxygen breathing. (Table 6):