QUESTION:
Do you have anyone researching how people behave in harsh
environments?   What kind of screening goes on before you can visit
the research stations there? 
        
        From DDC (location unknown)


ANSWER from Dr. Bovard, Resident Physician, Palmer Station
            Thu, 20 Feb 1997 12:41:17 -0500

Dear DDC,

There have been studies on the effects of prolonged isolation and
crowding at the south pole and other research stations.  There are
none going on here at the present of which I am aware. People get
irritable and have tempers here just like anywhere else.  A lot of
it falls under the category of "cabin fever", but the term used here
is that someone gets "toasty", as in burnt toast.  Then it is time
to go home.  People who stay a full year at any of the stations, ie
"winter-over" do have a psychological evaluation done to try to see
if they will adjust and tolerate the isolation/crowding well enough.
A cook attacked some people with a hammer at McMurdo this past
season,  and is currently in jail in Hawaii.  And a doctor and a
cook tried to poison each other (or something like that) here at
Palmer about 10 years ago. So, at least statistically, if you're not
a chef or a doctor you have a greater liklihood of remaining sane.

Everyone who "deploys" to work in Antarctica for the National Science 
Foundation, whether support personnel or researcher, has a complete 
medical and dental examination and laboratory work, including blood 
typing.  People whose wisdom teeth aren't perfect usually have to get 
them pulled.  There are some shots and vaccinations; primarily 
tetanus and flu.  Australian doctors used to be required to have 
their appendix removed before spending a year down here; not sure if 
it is still so.  People have to be pretty healthy to come here, 
because the back up medical resources just aren't available.  Still 
accidents and illness can happen so we have to be as prepared as 
possible.  

Thanks for your question!
Dr. Bovard