Discovery (Post#49) : Decompression Chamber & ‘Bends’
Photos for the day are all about Decompression Chamber or Diving Chamber. Nitrogen or any gas in air tank pressure increases as the diver goes deeper in the water. Then, Nitrogen gas is absorbed through body tissues but not utilized like oxygen. Therefore, one of the challenges of the pearl divers to experience as they work to explore the vast and deeper underwater, was suffering from ‘bends’. “Bends” also called as Decompression Sickness or Caisson Disease where the Nitrogen gas building up or dissolve in body tissues. When this has been quickly released, the nitrogen that build up in body tissues may burst like bubbles that can cause pains and most of the time deaths.
A clear example to illustrate this bubble formation process is that of a bottle of carbonated soda. A bottle of carbonated soda is filled with gas (carbon dioxide), which cannot be seen because it is dissolved in solution under pressure. When the bottle is opened, the pressure is released and the gas leaves the solution in the form of bubbles. A diver returning to the surface is similar to opening the bottle of soda. As a diver swims to the surface, the pressure decreases. The nitrogen, which has dissolved in tissues, wants again to leave, because the body can hold only a certain amount based on that nitrogen pressure.
Source : emedicinehealth.com
The Decompression Chamber is used so that the bubbles in the body tissue which increased due to pressure under the water will be shrinkage as treatment for Decompression Sickness. Having this diving chamber in the town gave a good result as it immediately reduced the number of divers died from ‘Bends’. These photos are part of Broome Historical Museum Visit October 2016.
Notes :
Photo : Exhibit, Archive, Display
Location : 67 Robinson St, Broome WA 6725, Australia
Transportation : Town Bus Service, Broome Transit, Broome Cycles, Broome Broome
Official Website : Broome Historical Society & Museum
