vered from his experience, having marked
symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

On my return from the Western Depot journey I found that Wild was
suffering from an attack of herpes zoster. The illness came on while
he was out sledging, and he suffered severely from the pain and
irritation.

Beyond a few cases of minor illness, and one or two accidents, there
was nothing of serious moment to report.

Main Base (Adelie Land)

by A. L. McLean, M.B., CH.M., B.A.

Throughout the whole period of the Expedition--from December 2, 1911,
to February 26, 1914--the health of the expedition was remarkably
good. Undoubtedly Antarctica has a salubrious climate, and it is
simply because one returns in a measure to the primitive that such an
ideal result is obtained.

The first thing to resist is the cold, and additional clothing is the
first and adequate means to such an end. No one needs to be specially
inured to a rigorous climate. If he has a normal circulation he
immediately reacts to a new set of temperature conditions, and in a
few weeks may claim to be acclimatized. Most of the members of the
expedition were Australians, so that the change of latitudes was
rather abrupt but none the less stimulating and healthful.

Appetite for food had suddenly a new piquancy, hard manual work was
a pleasure in a novel and wonderful environment, the intellect and
imagination were quickened and the whole man embodied the mens sana
in corpore sano. That is why illness was practically unknown for more
than two years; and, further, it may be said with partial truth that
in the high sense of physical and mental fitness he possessed for a
time, lies the explanation of the proverbial desire of an explorer
to return to the ice-lands.

Regular monthly examinations of the blood were made from the date of
leaving Hobart in December 1911 until October 1912, with an interval
of about nine weeks between the first and second examinations. The
haemoglobin or red colouring-matter went up with a leap and then very
steadily increased in amount during the winter months in Adelie Land.
The blood pressure became slightly more marked, the weight increased,
but as one might have expected, the resistance to ordinary civilized
germs was decreased. With regard to weight, the maximum amount gained
by a single individual during a period of eight weeks was almost two
stones, and every one became heavier by as much