92 Effect of Alcohol on Psycho-Physiological Functions. 



Benedict's report, table 33, p. 185.) This was the largest depression 

 but one (that for Subject IX) found with the normal group, which had 

 an average depression with dose A of 8.9 per cent. Both of these figures 

 are larger than the percentile effects given in our table 15 for 8 seconds. 

 They contain no contradiction, however, as to the nature of the alcohol 

 effect. 



Briefly, the results of this test of motor ability are as follows: 



(1) The dose of 30 c.c. of alcohol with this subject reduced the num- 

 ber of free finger oscillations which the subject could perform in a 

 period of 8 seconds by 3 or 4 per cent, roughly according to the time 

 that had elapsed since the ingestion of the dose. 



(2) The alcohol effect was more pronounced in the first record of a 

 period than in the second record; it was more pronounced in the per- 

 formance during the first 2-second interval than in any later similar 

 interval (except in period 5) ; both of these results tend to reduce some- 

 what the falling off by fatigue after alcohol, and show the effect of al- 

 cohol to be stronger on the initial performance. 



(3) The variability in the performance after alcohol is larger than 

 after the control dose, this being shown by an increase in the mean 

 variation after alcohol. 



PULSE AND RESPIRATION. 

 TETANUS PULSE. 



It was mentioned in a previous paragraph (see p. 24) that 11 pulse 

 records were taken in each period. Of this number, 9 were under 

 experimental conditions which favored more or less relaxation of the 

 subject as he reclined in a steamer chair, or under conditions of mod- 

 erate mental and physical activity, as, for example, during the word 

 reactions. It seemed desirable, also, to measure the effect of alcohol 

 upon the pulse before, during, and immediately following general mus- 

 cular tension. To this end, and with the purpose of providing condi- 

 tions which would test the promptness of changes in heart rate, con- 

 tinuous pulse records were taken in which the subject was (1) relaxed 

 in the steamer chair, (2) holding the muscles of the limbs and trunk 

 rigid for a period of 5 seconds, and (3) relaxed following the period of 

 exertion. Dodge and Benedict (see p. 15 of their report, series 3) took 

 pulse records of the subject immediately after standing and after 60 

 seconds of standing, after two double genuflections, and after 60 seconds 

 of quiet. In comparison with this it will be seen that our pulse records 

 are absolutely continuous. 



Studies on the effect of vigorous muscular exercise on the heart rate 

 of man have usually been limited to the pulse rate before and after the 

 activity. The most notable exception previous to the last decade is the 

 excellent contribution of Bowen, 1 who, with a specially designed tambour 



1 Bowen, Contributions to Medical Research dedicated to Victor Clarence Vaughn, June 1903, 

 p. 462, Ann Arbor, Mich. 



