Portland Studies Controlled Breathing
THE PORTLAND, ORE., Fire Bureau Training Section became quite interested in controlled breathing and in the reaction of men to wearing selfcontained breathing apparatus after articles appeared in various trade publications, and in doctors’ columns in newspapers, on hyperventilation. Accordingly over 600 men in the fire fighting division were given identical tests and the pulse and air consumption of each man at rest, under psychological stress, and under working conditions were carefully tabulated.
In the smoke room of the training center a hot, smoky atmosphere was maintained and each man donned a self-contained 30-minute mask, felt his way in the dark through an unfamiliar maze of barricades extending through two rooms, and out. The pulse and air consumption, determined by cylinder gage readings in psi, of each man were carefully checked before and after this event for an evaluation of the psychological effect of wearing a mask in an unfamiliar area. After a rest period, each man again donned a mask and proceeded at a good pace up three flights of stairs and back down without pause. Pulse and air consumption were again checked and recorded, both before and after, to evaluate the effect of working in a mask.
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