The history and study of decompression forms the basic foundation for eventual scuba diving, most especially technical diving. Had decompression not been studied and discovered, perhaps human exploration of the deep seas would be limited at best.
In 1670 Robert Boyle conducted the first series of experimental work on the effects of reduced ambient pressure on snakes using a primitive vacuum pump. This later led to more studies on decompression sickness.
A related observation on decompression sickness came from miners working in deep mines using pressurization to prevent water ingress. It was observed that many miners suffered from air illness or the bends. This was later known to be related to decompression sickness. Once it was recognized that symptoms of decompression sickness came from gas bubbles, it was only natural to assume that these gas bubbles could disappear or “popped” through recompression. It was only in 1878 that Paul Bert discovered that these gas bubbles were caused by nitrogen gas released from tissues and blood during decompression.
Since oxygen was used to breathe underwater, it was further observed that using oxygen and slow decompression avoided all symptoms of decompression sickness.
In 1908 John Scott Haldane created the first decompression table for the Royal Navy, based on extensive experiments using goats underwater. In 1912 the United States Navy tested and refined Haldane’s tables. George Stillson led this research and eventually established the first US Navy Diving School in Newport, Rhode Island. The name was later changed to the Naval Diving and Salvage School and established its first unit, the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) in 1927, all in the same venue. Eventually the diving school and the NEDU refined the Air Decompression Tables to world standards.
During the 1930’s and throughout World War II, extensive experiments were conducted by the diving school and NEDU to determine full recompression therapy and full use of the tables for what it called “Technical Diving.” This was the term used by the US Navy for deep sea scuba diving for purposes of deep sea exploration, shipwreck location and salvaging, and underwater cave exploration.
By 1956, the US Navy’s Air Decompression and Recompression Table was the accepted world class standard for scuba and technical diving. It was in fact the US Navy who later experimented with early decompression wrist devices and underwater computers that led to the technology of the technical diving computer.
In 1670 Robert Boyle conducted the first series of experimental work on the effects of reduced ambient pressure on snakes using a primitive vacuum pump. This later led to more studies on decompression sickness.
A related observation on decompression sickness came from miners working in deep mines using pressurization to prevent water ingress. It was observed that many miners suffered from air illness or the bends. This was later known to be related to decompression sickness. Once it was recognized that symptoms of decompression sickness came from gas bubbles, it was only natural to assume that these gas bubbles could disappear or “popped” through recompression. It was only in 1878 that Paul Bert discovered that these gas bubbles were caused by nitrogen gas released from tissues and blood during decompression.
Since oxygen was used to breathe underwater, it was further observed that using oxygen and slow decompression avoided all symptoms of decompression sickness.
In 1908 John Scott Haldane created the first decompression table for the Royal Navy, based on extensive experiments using goats underwater. In 1912 the United States Navy tested and refined Haldane’s tables. George Stillson led this research and eventually established the first US Navy Diving School in Newport, Rhode Island. The name was later changed to the Naval Diving and Salvage School and established its first unit, the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) in 1927, all in the same venue. Eventually the diving school and the NEDU refined the Air Decompression Tables to world standards.
During the 1930’s and throughout World War II, extensive experiments were conducted by the diving school and NEDU to determine full recompression therapy and full use of the tables for what it called “Technical Diving.” This was the term used by the US Navy for deep sea scuba diving for purposes of deep sea exploration, shipwreck location and salvaging, and underwater cave exploration.
By 1956, the US Navy’s Air Decompression and Recompression Table was the accepted world class standard for scuba and technical diving. It was in fact the US Navy who later experimented with early decompression wrist devices and underwater computers that led to the technology of the technical diving computer.