A Gamow bag (pronounced Gam-Off) is an inflatable pressure bag large enough to accommodate a person inside. By inflating the bag with a foot pump, the effective altitude can be decreased by 1000 to as much as 3000 meters (3281 to 9743 feet). It is primarily used for treating severe cases of altitude sickness.
The gamow bag was named after its inventor, Dr. Igor Gamow, son of George Gamow. Dr. Gamow originally designed a predecessor to the gamow bag called "The Bubble" for high-altitude athletes. This would produce more red blood cells to carry more oxygen to the muscles, increasing the athlete's abilities. However, this invention was not well-received despite glowing reviews. The equipment was deemed too bulky and susceptible to overheating.
Dr. Gamow persisted, and re-designed 'The Bubble' into a bag that could be used by high-altitude climbers.
Famous quotes containing the word bag:
“Name me, if you can, a better feeling than the one you get when you’ve half a bottle of Chivas in the bag with a gram of coke up your nose and a teenage lovely pulling off her tube top in the next seat over while you’re doing a hundred miles an hour in a suburban side street.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)