Abstract
Summary
Two groups of male rats were subjected to a progressive reduction in barometric pressure while in an atmosphere of pure oxygen in order to discover the pressure at which respiratory failure occurred. The first group gave an average value of 65 mm Hg with variations between 60 and 75 mm Hg, and the second group, allowed to hyperventilate for an additional 20 minutes, gave an average value of 60 mm Hg with variations between 50 and 70 mm Hg. The difference between the two groups shows that the additional hyperventilation had a slight effect on reducing the atmospheric pressure at which respiratory failure occurred in this experiment. These results indicate that the partial pressures of carbon dioxide and water vapor fall lower than previously assumed and therefore life is possible at a higher altitude in the presence of pure oxygen than heretofore believed.
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