374 VITALITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH RESTRICTED DIET. 



crease of 15 mm. As a rule, the fall in systolic pressure was not far 

 from 15 to 20 mm., the average systolic pressure for this date being 

 102 mm. Thus the contention is correct that the systolic pressure 

 noted with Squad A on October 13, one week after the low diet began, 

 represented a distinctly lower level than would have been found had 

 these men been measured prior to the dietetic reduction. It is quite 

 probable, therefore, that an addition of from 10 to 20 mm. to the aver- 

 age systolic blood pressure of October 13 with Squad A should be made 

 to indicate the probable blood pressure of these men prior to dietetic 

 reduction, although the total calories in the diet were much less 

 proportionately with Squad B than with Squad A, and undoubtedly 

 the drafts upon body-material were considerably greater for Squad B 

 during this week. Nevertheless, there must have been a noticeable 

 fall in systolic pressure with Squad A in the week which preceded 

 October 13. 



In the two weeks following January 13 there was with Squad B a 

 distinct tendency for the systolic pressures to fall still lower. With 

 Fis and Har, this fall was 15 mm.; with How a slight rise took place; 

 with Ham the pressure rose, then fell again ; with Kim the pressure fell 

 in the later measurements from 120 to 85 mm., a fall of 35 mm. Lon, 

 who was not included in the first measurements and hence was meas- 

 ured for the first time after a week's restriction in diet, showed essen- 

 tially constant blood pressures for the rest of the experiment. With 

 Sch a drop of 20 mm. occurred, with Liv but 5 mm., with Sne there was 

 no further change, with Tho there was a drop of 10 mm., with Van the 

 fall varied from 10 to 5 mm., and with Wil there was a tendency to a 

 slight rise. 



The average values given in the last column of table 77 are again 

 open to criticism owing to the absence of Lon on January 5, 1918. The 

 minimum average value is 94 mm. on January 27, with a total fall from 

 normal of 26 mm. This minimum of 94 mm. compares with the 95 

 mm. found as an average value with Squad A on February 2, but is 

 somewhat higher than the actual minimum of 89 mm. found on two 

 nights (December 8 and 19) with Squad A. 



Profound alterations in the diastolic pressure likewise appear, even in 

 so short a period of undernutrition as three weeks. Comparing the 

 records for the beginning and end of the observations we find that the 

 diastolic pressure fell from normal with Ham, Sch, and Liv, 25 mm., 

 with Fis, Har, Kim, and Van, 20 mm., with Wil and How, 15 mm., with 

 Sne and Tho, 10 mm. Diastolic pressures of 65 mm. or below are noted 

 with all of the subjects but Fis and Sne. The absolute lowest value 

 was 55 mm. which was found with Ham and Liv on January 27. 



The average diastolic pressure for 1 1 men prior to the restricted diet 

 was 83 mm. on January 5, 1918, and the lowest average diastolic 

 pressure was 64 mm., this occurring on the last day. This average 



