Posted by Steve on June 16, 2001 at 16:09:46:
In Reply to: Re: STEVE- Meyer-Overton hypothosis posted by Kendall Raine on June 15, 2001 at 12:07:14:
Kendall wrote:
"3) Pure Oxygen by itself does not produce narcotic effect at depths shallower than 33 fsw (2.0 ata). This is obvious and not disputed. The chapter concludes that because of this, oxygen alone can be ruled out at the cause of narcosis."
Thank you for clearing up the eroneous and misleading implication that oxygen is narcotic at our rec/sport/tech depths at pressures less than 1.6 or 2.0 as you state. Whether it works in concert with N2 is also disputed and unclear in scientific tests. Scientists can raise raise and lower PO2 in EAN mixes and can't measure narcosis changes yet users say they are less nar'ked. Who do you believe? It is very subjective and inconclusive. This is an interesting subject and RDS has an article on their web site about nitrox now.
Steve