Abstract
It is well known that the change in external pressure is one of the major factors in diving accidents. The mechanisms by which this creates such conditions as depth narcosis, rupture of the lung, and decompression sickness are either known or under investigation. Nevertheless, many accidents cannot be explained in terms of classical diving hazards. This paper concerns a reaction to pressure change that has hitherto been largely overlooked as a potential cause of such accidents. Although reports were published as early as 1896 by Alt and in 1909 by Keays of vertigo occurring at the end of exposure to increased pressure environment, there are few accounts of this subject in the literature on labyrinthine func tion or on diving medicine. Fields (1958) reports four cases of brief vertigo in connexion with surfacing after dives, and Coles and Knight (1961) recorded three cases in connexion with Navy divers' clearing their ears. Rowe (1961) also men tions that vertigo may occur in divers, and reports one case without discussing the specific cause.
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