BODY TEMPERATURE. 251 



The first series of skin temperature measurements was made with 

 Squad B on January 19, when the men had been two weeks on the 

 reduced diet. The subjects had been sitting in the Ubrary taking 

 the group psychological tests for approximately an hour prior to the 

 temperature measurements, and had engaged in no physical exercise. 

 At the end of these group psychological tests the men were instructed 

 to place their hands, palms down, upon the table and remain quiet 

 while the observations on skin temperature were being recorded. The 

 room temperature, as taken by a thermometer suspended at approxi- 

 mately the level of their heads, indicated 23.6° C. on this particular 

 date. The results of the temperature measurements upon the surface 

 of the upper side of the right and left hands and on the forehead are 

 given for all of the men in Squad B, together with the measurements 

 for two individuals on unrestricted diet. Subsequent observations of 

 the temperature of the forehead have shown that this location gives 

 by far the best measurement of the skin temperature, with less 

 fluctuation, than any other part measured. 



Measurements were made upon the backs of both the right and left 

 hands to find if the unilateral disturbance suggested in some of the 

 protocols and subjective impressions of some of the men was actually 

 present. An inspection of the values for Squad B on January 19, 

 shows that there is relatively little difference between the temperatures 

 for the two hands. In only three cases {How, Van, and Wil) were there 

 differences greater than 1.5° C. That this difference is not character- 

 istic of these men can be seen from subsequent values found on January 

 27, on which date the temperatures for both hands were much more 

 nearly constant. 



Comparing the values for Squad B on January 19 with those for 

 two normals on the same date, we find that for the right hand the 

 average temperature is for the 12 men 31.34° C, while the record for 

 each of the normals is somewhat less than this. With the left hand 

 the average temperature for Squad B is 30.95° C; both of the normals 

 show temperatures somewhat lower. These results would indicate 

 that the average temperature of the hands with Squad B was slightly 

 higher than the temperature measurements obtained for the two nor- 

 mals. It should be stated, furthermore, that both normals had been 

 moderately occupied in giving the psychological tests during the pre- 

 vious hour, which involved considerably more exercise than had been 

 taken by Squad B. 



The temperature of the forehead ranged with Squad B from 31.93° C. 

 (Wil) to 34.1° C. (Kim). The average for the 12 men is 32.7° C. The 

 two normals, however, show perceptibly higher forehead tempera- 

 tures, namely, 33.63° C. and 34.23° C. 



Subsequent research has shown the rather striking influence of 

 changes in room temperature upon the temperature of the skin. 



