Pulse Bate. 317 



varied from 47 to 66. Other observations made on these two f asters in con- 

 nection with the research showed an unusual irritability of the heart. On one 

 occasion Cetti's pulse rose from 80 to 104 when he rose from his couch and sat 

 up. Breithaupt showed likewise an unusual irritability of the heart while 

 doing small amounts of muscular work. These observations are in accord with 

 the one observation made by Luciani (4), in which the increase in pulse rate 

 after a short run was much greater with Succi than with several well-fed 

 assistants with the same exercise. 



No increase of Cetti's pulse was observed with resumed feeding, but a marked 

 increase occurred in the case of Breithaupt on the first day after the fast. 



The subject "J. A." (9) in the Stockholm laboratory took his pulse rate 

 every two hours while he was awake. The lowest recorded rate was 62 and the 

 highest 92. The average rates for the five days of the fast were 70.1, 70.3, 75.6, 

 71.1, and 70.4. 



On the 2 days with food following the fast the average pulse rate was 80.3 

 and 78.8, noticeably higher than during the fast. 



Hoover & Sollman (8) have reported the most elaborate series of obser- 

 vations on the pulse rate during fasting thus far recorded. The pulse was 

 taken every 2 hours during an 8-day fast in hypnotic sleep. The pulse was 

 highest at the time when the subject was awakened from his sleep, when a 

 rate of 79 was observed. The nearest approach to this maximum was found 

 on an occasion when the subject awoke, arose from the bed, and went to a water 

 tank and drank several cups of water. At that time the pulse rose to 72. 

 On no other occasion did the pulse rate rise above 68, and a minimum of 36 

 was reached. The average pulse for the 8 days was 62, 56, 48, 46, 47, 44, 43, 

 and 46. The authors, however, point out that the pulse rate of their subject 

 can hardly be considered as indicative of the normal since a low rate was 

 maintained by command of the hypnotist. 



Paton & Stockman (3) state that the pulse of their subject Jacques averaged 

 from 50 to 60 beats per minute. No data regarding the variations in the 

 average rate as the fast progressed are given. 



In the first experiments made in this laboratory, the pulse rates were taken 

 by the subjects themselves. The number of beats was counted for 2 minutes, 

 and the average accepted as the true count. In connection with the statistics 

 of each experiment in which the pulse was counted, records of pulse rate as 

 taken by the subject are given. In the later experiments, the pulse rates were 

 obtained by means of the Pitz pneumograph, and recorded by an assistant 

 outside the respiration chamber. By this means it was possible to secure data 

 regarding the pulse at any time of the day or night. 



Marked variations in the pulse rate during different fasting days may be 

 noted in many of the experiments. With the subject B. F. D. in experiment 

 No. 59, the pulse rate rose gradually throughout the 3 days of the fast. In 



