Abstract
It was found that the electric excitability of the human eye was a sensitive and accurate measure for oxygen deficiency. The indicator was a flicker-sensation caused by a current periodically interrupted with a certain frequency.
(1) The threshold for appearance of flicker Va was a little higher than the threshold for disappearance Vd.
(2) The difference between Va and Vd increased always at low oxygen pressure equivalent to that at 3, 000m or higher altitude, but the mean value of Va and Vd increased only at severer oxygen deficiency.
(3) This method is suitable for following rapid changes of oxygen deficiency, for it takes only 2 seconds to determine the threshold.
(4) The electric excitability of the eye was studied in comparison with its sensitivity to light, and found to be more suitable as an index of oxygen deficiency for accurate measurements and practical applications than the light-sensitivity of the eye.
