MILAN 



Adams et al. (1958) contrasted the metabolic and thermal res- 

 ponses of six male Eskimos, seven male Negro soldiers, and seven 

 male Caucasian soldier controls exposed nude for 120 minutes to 

 17 C. While the Eskimos and Caucasians shivered at a mean skin 

 temperature of 29.5 C, the Negroes did not shiver until their skin 

 temperatures reached 28 C. Skin temperatures were the same in 

 the Negro and control groups, but the metabolic response was 

 greater in the latter. 



lampietro et al. (1959) matched 16 male American Negro sol- 

 diers with 17 male Caucasian soldiers for percentage fat, height, 

 weight, etc. and exposed them nude for 2 hours to 10 C. Metabolic 

 responses were the same. Although the difference between groups 

 in average skin temperatures approached significance after 100 

 minutes (Negroes were 0.8 C lower), other temperatures were the 

 same. 



Response to extremity cooling . Meehan (19 55) measured tem- 

 peratures of index fingers immersed for 30 minutes in stirred ice 

 water in 52 Alaska natives, 38 American Negroes, and 168 Cauca- 

 sians and reportedthat Negroes maintained the lowest temperatures, 

 lampietro et al. (19,59) measured temperatures of fingers in ice 

 water in 16 male Negro soldiers and 17 male Caucasian soldiers. 

 The white subjects had higher finger temperatures, and the "hurting" 

 reaction was more pronounced. 



Negro summary. The metabolic and thermal responses of 



American Negroes were reported tobedifferent from those of white 



controls during a standardized cold stress of -12 C while clothed 



o 

 (Rennie et al., 1957) and 17 C while nude (Adams et al., 1958) but 



the same when nude at 10 C (lampietro et al., 1959). The fingers 



of Negroes immersed in ice water are cooler than those of white 



controls (Meehan, 1955; lampietro et al., 1959). 



The Bushmen 



Presently the Bushmen number approximately 55,000. They 



352 



