Exposure
Exposure to the elements is one of the greatest threats to
survival in Antarctica. Sunburn, which is much more likely to
affect you in such a reflective environment, is not only
uncomfortable but dangerous. It can block your body's ability
to sweat and thereby cool itself, it can lead to fever and
retarded muscular activity if severe, and, because of the
ozone hole, can ultimately increase your chances of getting
skin cancer.
Frostbite, the freezing of tissues, can strike any exposed
skin in minutes. (Note that beards offer little or no
protection to your face.) The first sign is a blanching of the
affected area, followed by a tingling or stinging sensation
and then numbness. If the affected area stops hurting, you
know you're in serious trouble. On Elephant Island, Perce
Blackborow
had to have all the toes on his left foot removed after they
had become severely frostbitten. Never forget, too, that flesh
can freeze instantly to frozen metal.
The gravest danger of exposure is hypothermia, which is a
lowering of your core body temperature. It comes on
surreptitiously; people have died of hypothermia without ever
even complaining of the cold. Initial symptoms include
exhaustion, loss of mental acuity and judgment, and a
reluctance to do anything. When your core temperature drops
below 78°F, you die.
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