[abstract] SUBMARINE ESCAPE 'A NEW CASE FOR OXYGEN'

Abstract

In the early days of submarines, the Davis Escape Apparatus was used with oxygen as a means of escape from a damaged submerged submarine. It, however, suffered from one major drawback-prolonged exposure to high pressure oxygen produced convulsions. Further research was therefore carried out in the United Kingdom, which eventually produced the present single man escape tower with rapid air compression. To date this system has given good service, but with the extension of diving depths and the subsequent need for greater escape depths a rethink of the system is now needed. Oxygen produces convulsions only after some finite time, and it was therefore proposed that oxygen should be used with the rapid compression techniques developed for air. This paper will describe the results of these experiments with compressions to 500 meters of sea water when using rats and 300 meters for goats. The methods developed at Q.N.P.T. using conventional submarine equipment to safely supply oxygen to the animals will be detailed, together with physiological data on the animals undergoing rapid high C2 exposures in simulated escape experiments.