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The diving medical detectives: when diving medicine books are completely wrong 09.09.2021, Part I

Authors:

Abstract

Abstract: We compiled lists/descriptions of errors found in the standard diving medicine literature. Methods: We scanned our diving medicine archives and looked there for already existing error-reports; typos etc. were ignored. Results: Severe errors are appearing more frequently in monographs. Omnibus Volumes, written by teams of experts, are obviously more resilient to errors. Discussion / Recommendations: Single authors / editors should consult with expert teams prior to publication. If you want to contribute s.th. to our list, we would be very happy if you send an e-mail to our head of lab: director@smc-de.com
1
The diving medical detectives:
when diving medicine books
are completely wrong
09.09.2021, Part I
Miri Rosenblat, TAU
Nurit Vered, Technion Haifa
Yael Eisenstein,
SubMarineConsulting
Albi Salm, SubMarineConsulting
tbd; DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.x.y
2
The diving medical detectives:
when diving medicine books
are completely wrong
Abstract:
We compiled lists/descriptions of errors found in the standard diving medicine
literature.
Methods:
We scanned our diving medicine archives and looked there for already
existing error-reports; typos etc. were ignored.
Results:
Severe errors are appearing more frequently in monographs. Omnibus
Volumes, written by teams of experts, are obviously more resilient to errors.
Discussion / Recommendations:
Single authors / editors should consult with expert teams prior to
publication.
If you want to contribute s.th. to our list, we would be very happy if you send
an e-mail to our head of lab: director@smc-de.com
3
The diving medical detectives:
when diving medicine books
are completely wrong
Background, continued:
Methods: As we scanned our diving medicine archives, we took the contents
of chapter II (General Diving Medicine) into account and looked as well there
for already existing error-reports. The numbers in brackets, [xyz] refer to the
identical entries @ https://www.divetable.info/books/index_e.htm,
Typos etc. were ignored and thus do not appear in the list, as well, for eg.
topics, settled for long, like Haldane‘soxygen excretion from the lungand
similar or other topics, open to conjecture, like „deep stopsor algorithms.
Results: in Part I we covered 6 books out of 16, for the details, pls. cf. slides
# 4 7; severe errors are appearing more frequently in monographs.
Omnibus Volumes, written by teams of experts, like [110], [157], [158] or [205]
are obviously more resilient to errors.
Since it is fun to play detective, we will cover in Part II (tbd.) our Bühlmann
collection, i.e.: [4], [4a], [5], [5a], [65], [234] and some of Alberts JAP papers.
4
[140]
p. 34: in Figure 2.1 the slope & the times
are not correct: the function is not linear,
as depicted, but from p* V = const. a hyperbola:
5
[47]
p. 23: the half-times / M-value table (table 1.2) is, alas,
outright incomplete:
@ USN: missing are HT 200 240 [min]
@ RDP: missing are the HT 160 480 [min]
6
[236]
p. 96: the formula, the Abb. 21 and
all the explanations are not correct,
since the bubble radius is
not proportional to pabs-1/2
but, according to
Boyle-Marriotte and the bubble
volume being V = 4 * π * r3 / 3
to: pabs-1/3
7
[63]
p. 487, Table 10.2.1: an excursion does not
start from 25 but instead from 21 feet,
the transit times are for 20 feet or shallower.
This is, as such, probably, not a serious error,
just a misinterpretation of the USN excursion limits table (Table 16-1)
on p. 818 / 16-8 of Rev. 7 [15e] and the
according single-depth oxygen exposure limits (Table 16-2, p. 820 / 16-10)
with the very clear instruction:
No excursions are allowed when using these limits“,
pls. cf. the next slide.
But it came up when we were checking [62] and [178] for these topics:
so, both of them, i.e.:
[62], Table 17.2 on p. 213 AND
[178], Table 17.2 on p. 235:
are not matching the original source [15e].
8
Source: [15e]
9
References:
[15 e] US DIVING MANUAL_REV7_ChangeA-6.6.18
[47] Jolie Bookspan, Diving Physiology in Plain English, UHMS 1995, ISBN
0-930406-13-3
[62] "Diving & Subaquatic Medicine", Carl Edmonds, Lowry, Pennefather,
Walker, 4 th. Ed., Arnold, ISBN 0-340-80630-3
[63] "Bennett and Elliott's Physiology and Medicine of Diving" Alf Brubakk,
Neuman et al., 5 th Ed. Saunders, ISBN 0-7020-2571-2
[140] Strauss, Michael B., Aksenov Igor V. (2004) Diving Science: Essential
physiology and medicine for divers. Human Kinetics, ISBN-10: 0-7360-4830-
8, ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-4830-9
[178] Edmonds, Carl; Bennett, Michael et al.(2016) Diving and Subaquatic
Medicine, Fifth Edition, CRC Press; ISBN 978-1-4822-6012-0
[236] Holzapfel, Rudolf B. (1993) Praxis der Tauchmedizin: Physiologie -
Pathologie - Therapie, Thieme, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-13-631302-X
Presentation
Full-text available
Here, in Part V, we give only a short comment about pressure units and the various conversion factors used in diving medicine books, as the majority of these books are using imperial units like pounds per square inch (psi) or feet of seawater (fsw), but for serious scientific publications or technical documentation the SI system, the „International System of Units“ is the preferred and used system. These conversion factors are regularly not consistent over all these books as they normally do not specify (water-)temperature nor the density. So they are at times even contradicting and one thing for sure for a physician, i.e. a physical layman: confusing! For an easy and quick assessment with mental arithmetic, say for a ballpark to check absolute pressures, partial pressures of oxygen and the like, especially when required underwater, during real diving, SI is the system of choice.
Presentation
Full-text available
Abstract: We compiled lists/descriptions of errors found in the standard diving medicine literature. Methods: We scanned our diving medicine archives and looked there for already existing error-reports; typos etc. were ignored.
Diving Science: Essential physiology and medicine for divers
  • Michael B Strauss
  • Aksenov Igor
Strauss, Michael B., Aksenov Igor V. (2004) Diving Science: Essential physiology and medicine for divers. Human Kinetics, ISBN-10: 0-7360-4830-8, ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-4830-9
  • Rudolf B Holzapfel
Holzapfel, Rudolf B. (1993) Praxis der Tauchmedizin: Physiologie -Pathologie -Therapie, Thieme, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-13-631302-X