248 VITALITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH RESTRICTED DIET. 



effect of the reduced diet upon these men is without influence upon the 

 rectal temperature taken under the conditions observed in these 

 tests. 



It would be conceivable that with Squad A a perceptible fall in 

 temperature might take place in the first month of the diet reduction. 

 This of course would not be shown by our values, as we had no 

 records of the normal temperatures previous to the reduction in food. 

 With Squad B, however, a sufficient number of rectal temperatures 

 were recorded prior to the diet reduction to give a suitable base line. 

 The records for Squad B are given in table 22. Here the situa- 

 tion is complicated by the fact that occasionally the individual 

 members of the squad were changed for reasons beyond our control, 

 but this, we believe, has no effect upon the general averages. 



Table 22. — Rectal temperatures of Squad B} 

 [Subjects post-absorptive and in lying position.] 



^ Observations were made early in the morning after a night in the group respiration chamber. 

 The last preceding meal was the standard supper (700 cals.) served at the restaurant 

 ^ Leo substituted for Fis, Dec. 16; rectal temperature, 97.6° F. 



' McM substituted for Kim; rectal temperature, Nov. 18, 98.5° F.; Dec. 16, 98.1° F. 

 * McM substituted for Lon, Jan. 6; rectal temperature, 98.1° F. 

 ^McD substituted for Sch; rectal temperature, Nov. 18, 98.2° F.; Dec. 16, 97.5° F. 



Prior to the diet reduction the values for Squad B on November 18, 

 December 16, and January 6 show averages of 97.9°, 97.7°, and 97.7° F., 

 respectively. In other words, the rectal temperature can be said with 

 this squad of 12 men to be constant. Subsequent to the change in diet 

 there is, in rather striking contrast to the values found with Squad A, 

 a distinct tendency for the rectal temperature to fall. Thus, on January 

 14, approximately one week after the reduced diet began, the average 

 temperature was 97.4° F., at the end of two weeks, 97.2° F., and at 



