. Karakoram and western Himalaya 1909, an account of the expedition of H. R. H. Prince Luigi Amadeo of Savoy, duke of the Abruzzi. esolution of the problem as to thegreatest height to which man mayattain in momitain cUmbing. Physiologists have long giventheir attention to a study of theeiiects of reduced atmosjihericpressure upon the human system,whether in baUoon ascents to greatheights or by confinemeut in roomscontrived for the artificial diminution of the pressure of the air. Theresult of these experiments appears to show that hfe is possible underatmospheric pressure reduced far below the
. Karakoram and western Himalaya 1909, an account of the expedition of H. R. H. Prince Luigi Amadeo of Savoy, duke of the Abruzzi. esolution of the problem as to thegreatest height to which man mayattain in momitain cUmbing. Physiologists have long giventheir attention to a study of theeiiects of reduced atmosjihericpressure upon the human system,whether in baUoon ascents to greatheights or by confinemeut in roomscontrived for the artificial diminution of the pressure of the air. Theresult of these experiments appears to show that hfe is possible underatmospheric pressure reduced far below the limit marked by thebarometer on the highest summits of the earth. The very nature of the scientific experiment, how^ever, which is toreduce each phenomenon to i1^ simplest terms, deprives this conclusionof all possible value as a forecast of the solution of the problem whichinterests the mountaineer and the geographer. For this problem is complicated for us I^y the length of the sojournat low atmospheric pressure ; by the severe physical exertion ineAatablein high ascents, and often protracted for days or weeks; by extremes. XVI Introduction. of temperature and other special conditions of climate, whose actionupon the organism is still obscure. And all these are factors whichinfluence the physical and mental condition of the explorer in varyingdegrees. The solution cannot, therefore, be based upon scientificreasoning, but only on direct experience. Up to the present time theresult of experiment has been a slow but uninterrupted progress towardthe attainment of the greater heights ; and there is nothing to showthat we are reaching a final limit. From the first ascent of Mont Blanc(15,780 feet above the sea level) at the end of the eighteenth centuryup to the present day we have gained 8,820 feet. It is not much; butwe must remember that most of the expeditions in question had for theirobject rather the exploration of distant and unknown regions thanthe ascent of the high peaks
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