ANTHROPOMETRIC DATA. 231 



underweight. Thus, with young people between 20 and 24 years of 

 age the mortaUty for the average weight is exceeded in all cases with an 

 underweight of 5 or more pounds. From a careful analysis of the 

 Medico-Actuarial Mortality Investigation records, which was made 

 available through the kind assistance of Mr. Arthur Hunter, the actuary 

 of the New York Life Insurance Company, it has been shown that this 

 striking difference between young people and those over 35 years of 

 age was due to the fact that a large number of these young under- 

 weights died of tuberculosis. It should be recognized, however, that 

 the tuberculosis was not noted at the time of the examination and was 

 either latent or developed subsequently. It is furthermore to be noted 

 that the criteria of various examining physicians regarding acceptance 

 for life insurance differ widely. 



With Squad A at their minimum weight, the most marked case of 

 underweight was that of Tom, with a deficiency of 12 kg., or approxi- 

 mately 25 pounds. Pec had an underweight of 8.7 kg., or 19 pounds, 

 and Moy had an underweight of 8 kg. (approximately 17 pounds). 

 Since Pec was 44 years old, we find from the tables of the Medico- 

 Acturial Mortality Investigation that his underweight was advanta- 

 geous, for it gave him a better expectancy of life. Moy and Tom, who 

 were younger, may be considered, on the same authority, as having an 

 expected mortality greater than normal. (See table 9, p. 207.) 



According to the standards established by the Medico-Actuarial 

 Mortality Investigation, therefore, the underweight of most of our 

 subjects would be disadvantageous. As previously stated, Mr, Hunter 

 found that a considerable proportion of the underweights included in 

 these tables died of tuberculosis. Whether the low weight was due to 

 the latent tuberculosis or was simply a contributing factor can not now 

 be determined. The tables of the Medico- Actuarial Mortality Inves- 

 tigation were, however, based upon deficiencies in weight which were 

 due to normal uncontrolled causes, and the underweight of our subjects 

 was the result of a designedly reduced diet. While the fact should not 

 be lost sight of that underweight with young individuals, not produced 

 by design, leads to a high mortality, one can not say definitely that the 

 underweight due to the low diet given our subjects was an actual 

 disadvantage. 



ANTHROPOMETRIC DATA. 



With a degree of emaciation amounting to a loss in body-weight of 

 10 or more per cent, one would normally expect a visualization of this 

 loss not only in the face, which is undoubtedly one of the most sensi- 

 tive indices of changes in body-weight, but in the appearance of the 

 whole body. This was noted in all instances. To indicate the true 

 body condition of these men, not only when they were on normal 

 diet but likewise during the period of diet restriction, an extensive 

 series of measurements of each subject, including lengths and girths, 



