SCIENTIST’S EXPERIENCES

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1934, Page 9

SCIENTIST’S EXPERIENCES

LIFE IN ANTARCTICA ABSENCE OF DISEASE GERMS. INORDINATE APPETITES* Some interesting sidelights on conditions of life in the Antarctic were introduced by Mr. R. A. Falla in the course of an address to the members of the One-hunga-Manukau Chamber of Commerce. The early voyages of Cook and Ross, said Mr. Falla, paved the way for the purely scientific expedition of Scott in 1901. His ship, the Discovery, which was specially constructed of oak, teak and fir by experienced builders of whaling ships in Dundee at a cost of £16,000, was still afloat on the Thames and fast becoming as prized a relic as Nelson’s Victory. ' - In reviewing Scott’s tragic death on his second voyage, 1911-14, Mr. Falla paid a high tribute to his persistence in carrying out his fixed programme in the face of enormous difficulties, but with an ever cheerful spirit. His;experiences had proved invaluable to subsequent expeditions, and the causes of the disaster which overtook him had been the means of adding to human knowledge. SHACKLETON’S PRE-EMINENCE. Mr. Falla spoke of Shackleton as the most brilliant of all the Antarctic explorers, riot only on account of his extraordinary force of personality, but of his indomitable courage and powers of endurance. Dealing with his own voyage with Sir Douglas Mawson in 192931, Mr. Falla said that as they approached the higher latitudes from Hobart in the spring of .1931, it was remarkable how the appetites of the men became daily keener, until the consumption of fat, sugar and other similar articled of diet increased to proportions that, would have endangered health in a more temperate climate. . -1 ■

In the Antarctic the men,were entirely immune from disease. “It is practically impossible,” he continued, “to catch a cold or to contract influenza there, as no bacteria could exist. But on the first day .of our return to-Hobart we all caught colds.” He attributed this to the fact that during their absence, at Enderby Land their bodies had lost ,the power to resist infection. ; c Mr. Falla also described his somewhat remarkable experience of having suffered from sunstroke while in the Antarctic. He said that he had been carrying out research work one day without wearing a hat, thus exposing his. head to the rays of the polar sun, with the result that for two days ice packs were applied to the back of his neck.

DEADLY WHALE INDUSTRY. -Dealing with the extensive growth of the whale fishing, Mr'. Falla'said that .in 1930-31 no fewer than 42 factoiy ships and 210 ’chasers, or steam catchers, were in operation, and there being, ‘in the summer, perpetual daylight, the crews worked throughout the whole 24 hours in 12-hour shifts. The masters .of the vessels were not satisfied unless ■ they captured at least 1000 whales in the season.

The returns showed an. average of 1000 fish a trip. The whaling industry had now become a Norwegian monopoly. With scientific * methods of - shooting' the mammals, together with expert ,’&wledge of their habits, at the prasentrate’ of hunting it would not be long Wore supplies would be exhausted by extermination. J INFLUENCE of polar weathel Speaking, of the value of Antartic meteorological data, Mr. Falla expresfed' •the opinion that the weather conditions ka New Zealand were largely goveroid by those existing at the South Pole. He inclement summer just passed here .wis probably closely related to the boisterous season experienced in the south. The latter would definitely account for the frosts in the Dominion last month.?; Mr. Falla, was accorded a vote of thanks and appreciation of his highly instructive address. '