396 VITALITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH RESTRICTED DIET. 



metabolism resulting from reduced diet. Since the electrocardiograms 

 indicate normal heart action, it would appear that in addition to such 

 factors as sex and age we must also add nutritional level as exercising a 

 prominent influence upon the pulse-rate level. It is important that 

 the conditions found in this experiment may exist with no cardiac dis- 

 comfort or dyspnea. 



PULSE-RATE, WITH LYING POSITION, PRIOR TO WORK OF BICYCLE RIDING. 



The pulse-rates thus far considered were all obtained with the 

 subject lying in the morning before breakfast and represent the 

 minimum basal values.^ In connection with the study of the return 

 of the heart to normal after a definite amount of moderately vigorous 

 physical exercise, Professor A. G. Johnson, of the faculty of the 

 International Y. M. C. A. College at Springfield, determined the 

 pulse-rates of the subjects in the lying position. His procedure in 

 these experiments was as follows: After the subject came to the 

 room containing the ergometer, he lay down on a table and the radial 

 pulse was taken every minute until at least three successive observa- 

 tions gave the same rate. This usually required from 4 to 10 minutes. 

 During this time the subject was required to lie quietly with muscles 

 relaxed. He was then placed on the ergometer. After riding the man 

 got off quickly and again lay down on the table, this change of posi- 

 tion taking about 5 seconds. Subsequently the pulse was counted 

 during the first 15 seconds of each minute until the rate became normal. 



At present we are primarily interested in the pulse values recorded 

 with the subject in the lying position prior to the work. The first 

 observations under these conditions were obtained on October 19 and 

 usually followed at 3 or 4 day intervals throughout the rest of the 

 study, excluding the Christmas recess. In considering these pulse- 

 rates it should be borne in mind that they were obtained after a rela- 

 tively short period of relaxation. The ergometer was in a room on the 

 second floor of the gymnasium. Frequently the subjects ran rather 

 rap dly up the steps to this room, and it is conceivable that the time 

 allowed for the pulse to reach normal, namely 4 to 10 minutes, was 

 hardly long enough. On the other hand, as the increment due to 

 riding was frequently over 100 per cent, the values were sufficiently 

 exact as a base line for Professor Johnson's study. 



These pulse values also differ from those previously discussed as 

 the subjects were not in the post-absorptive condition. All observa- 

 tions were taken between the hours of O^BO'^ and ll^SO'" a. m., and 

 1*^30™ and 4^30™ p. m., i. e., from 2 to 4 hours after the last meal. 

 Under these conditions the pulse-rate was undoubtedly influenced to 

 a certain extent by food ingestion which would tend to increase 

 the values. Since each man usuall y came for his test at approximately 



'Some of the electrocardiograms, as previously noted, were not taken under these conditions. 



