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Legends of Diving Articles |
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Taravana
by Dr. Sam Miller
© 2010 Dr. Sam Miller
All Rights Reserved.
"Free diving bends" was first brought to life and identified
by the late, great E. R. Cross. In the late 1950s had sold
his Sparling school of diving in Wilmington and set out on a
round the world trip to collect sea shells, do research and
teach the natives the new art of "Aqua Lung Diving" aka
"Lung" diving now called "SCUBA" diving.
In the Tuamotos he encountered native divers who
demonstrated classic signs of DCS. His subsequent
investigation revealed that the S&S appeared since they had
began diving increasingly deeper as the pearl beds of the
shallow water were depleted. Thereafter the divers began
demonstrating the DCS symptoms.
The natives called the affliction "Taravana" which
translated means "Walk (or Fall) crazy"
His findings first appeared in print in 1962 in the then
only journal available to divers at that junction in history
"Skin Diver Magazine." Since that first report professional
researchers through out the world have been studying
Taravana; its causes and effects.
I have been a party to two cases occurring at Catalina
Island all before ER's report was published. One was an LA
County Underwater instructor (prior to NAUI, PADI and the
rest of the alphabet) who, after checking out his class did
some serious spear fishing, the other was a very serious
recreational diver who dove several tanks then also
participated in serious deep water spear fishing. I am some
what suspect there were a number of other cases in that era
who went unreported and untreated, but at this late date
would be impossible to verify.
Archive Library
Visit the Archive of
Sam Miller Vintage Articles
© 2010 Dr. Sam Miller
All Rights Reserved.
Thank you for your interest in Dr. Sam
Miller's History
of SCUBA diving. The text in this article is the sole
property of Dr. Sam Miller, he is the exclusive author.
Portage Quarry has presented it in its entirety with no
editorial review. They are copyrighted and cannot be used in
any way without the written permission of Dr. Sam Miller. If
you would like a copy of this
article please contact the
webmaster.
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