抄録
This paper is devoted to the report of an experimental observation of fatigue of mountain climbing. The observation was carried out at the hillside cottage on Mt. Tsubakuro, 2763 meter high when the auther engaged our duties as doctors there.
Experiment 1. Observations were made in the time when they were going and returning from Mt. Tsubakuro to Mt. Daitenjo (about six hours on foot). The subjects were all healthy adults (ex. students or keepers of hillside cottage) who had acclimated themselves to mountain life.
In this experiment Donaggio reaction of the urine, Flicker-test and threshold value of knee-jerk (P.S.R.) were observed consecutively in taking a method of study group of fatigue of Japan Industrial Hygiene Association.
Regarding Donaggio reaction of the urine, Donaggio-value showed ascending tendency after the walk was over the maximum value was formed in the next morning and it was preserved in the same condition till the evening.
The minimum fall in flicker-value was observed immediately after the walk. It gradually restored and was at the recover on the following.
Regarding P.S.R, the maximum value was showed immediately after the walk and returned to normality after one hour rest.
Experiment 2. 33 cases visited the mountain clinic were amounted to 33 including 22 males and 11 females. All of them have come from Tokyo or Kansai district by night trains. The most part of them reached the foot of the mountain early in the morning and got to Tsubakuro hillside cottage. They tried to walk through Mts. Yari and Hotaka after one night stay at the cottage.
Those 33 cases were divided into 3 groups according to the following matters;
Group A; normal (healthy adults in attendance on the invalids)
Group B; slight illness (needed to have a rest).
Group C; middle illness (needed an internal emergency treatment).
The authors made the same observation on fatigue that was tried in the experiment 1. The results of the observation showed that to be worse in the order of group A, B and C.
Fatigue is generally understood that its nature and extent was formed differently according to the method of observation used.
The authors may consider that such observation made in this occasion can reveal, to some extent, the performance of methods of fatigue observation as well as the biological characteristics of fatigue itself. Because the present experiment was carried out onsuch continuous labour as mountain climbing uuder the condition of low atmaspheric pressure.
