Four of Spades

Four of Spades

Melissa Brown

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Four of Spades

In this video, we are shown test subject, #14, going through high altitude training where he experiences hypoxia. His objective is to name the number and suit of a card and describe the symptoms he is feeling. In the beginning of the video, #14 claims he feels “really good” and gets the first two cards right. After that, he claims that he feels some tingling in his toes. The next card he pulls is a four of clubs, which he identifies as a four of spades. Even after they ask him to look at the suit again, he still says four of spades. The next card is a five of spades, but he calls it a four of spades. They ask him to look at the card again. He looks at the card, laughs, and calls it a four of spades once more. They ask if he’s sure and what he is feeling. He looks at the card, hesitates, then finally says five of spades and does not answer how he is feeling. The next two cards he incorrectly identifies as four of spades. He is asked questions such as how he is feeling and what he would do if he were feeling like this in an aircraft. His only response is “four of spades”. He is then told to gangload his regulator. He ignores the command, picks up another card, puts it down, puts his arm in the air without a card, and then picks up another card. Meanwhile, he is repeatedly told to gangload the regulator. His team ends up doing it for him and one person physically grabs the oxygen mask and pushes it towards his face. After that, he picks up a card, identifies it as a queen of jacks, and then corrects himself and says jack of diamonds, which was the correct card. (Cummings, 2011)

Watching how fast #14 becomes impaired is truly scary. Every question he is asked is answered with “four of spades.” According to Reinhart, #14 is in the compensatory stage of hypoxia. (1996) Other than the tingling toes he mentions he was feeling, he showed symptoms of visual impairment, impaired judgment...