114 Effect of Alcohol on Psycho-Physiological Functions. 



patellar reflex (No. 1) we have the general average of 1076 for the dura- 

 tion of the pulse cycle during periods 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 on June 29, July 

 1, and July 3, and a value of 1058 for the average duration in the first 

 period on these three days. For the other experimental conditions 

 we have for pulse 2 the general average of 1061 as compared to 1007 for 

 the first period; pulse 3, 1093 and 1016; pulse 4, 1104 and 1027; pulse 5, 

 1085 and 1060; pulse 6, 1087 and 1037; and finally pulse 7, 1096 and 

 1052 a, the value for period 1 being the smaller in each case. This must 

 be interpreted as indicating that normally the pulse gradually length- 

 ens after the first period; that is, its rate per minute becomes less, but the 

 change is comparatively slight. 



The comparable values for pulse duration on the alcohol days show an 

 exactly reverse condition; that is, in every case the average for the first 

 period on the three days, June 30, July 2, and July 4, is larger than the 

 average for periods 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of these three days. Since the pulse 

 duration started at the same level for both groups of days, it is perfectly 

 clear that the pulse on alcohol days following period 1 is more rapid. 

 At the bottom of the table general averages are given for the normal and 

 alcohol values. Each average, both normal and alcohol, is computed 

 from the averages in the vertical column above it; they thus represent 

 by periods the general tendency for all the pulse records taken under 

 experimental conditions 1 to 7, inclusive. The total average duration 

 for the pulse cycle on alcohol days is 962 as compared with the average 

 for normal days of 1086 <r. The shorter pulse length after alcohol shown 

 by these general averages is also revealed in each section of table 20 and 

 in almost every period of each section. This tendency is so definite as 

 to make it unnecessary to point out the individual comparisons. 



The averages at the bottom of table 20 are also given in diagrammatic 

 form in figure 15 (see solid-dot curves). The average durations of the 

 cycles are given at the left and the corresponding pulse rate at the 

 right. In this figure the heavy line represents the averages for the 

 normal days. The curve starts with a duration of 1037 a, which corre- 

 sponds to a rate of 58 beats per minute, and drops in periods 2 and 3, 

 reaching 55 beats per minute. In the fourth period there is a slight rise 

 to 56 beats, which is continued in period 5 ; finally there is a decided drop 

 to 51 beats in period 6. Inasmuch as the fall in period 6 is in large part 

 due to the more fragmentary data for this period (see table 20), the 

 course of the normal curve shows a very slight decrease in pulse-rate 

 throughout the experimental days. The alcohol curve starts at prac- 

 tically the same level as the normal curve, that is, 58 beats per minute. 

 From this point there is a rise in period 2 to 63 beats per minute, a 

 decrease in period 3 to 60, then a return in period 4 to 63 + , with con- 

 stancy in period 5 and a drop to 61 beats in period 6. The two curves 

 are sharply distinguished and show that the pulse of Subject VI was 

 faster by about 6 beats per minute after the taking of alcohol. 



