HUMAN RACIAL PESPONSES 



Eskimo contact occurred in 988 A. D. when Eric the Red encountered 

 the Greenlanders. 



The main characteristics of the climate of the high Arctic are 

 year-round aridity, low temperatures and high winds with drifting 

 snow in winter and cool temperatures and a high incidence of fog in 

 summer. It has been clearly recognized by physiologists that the 

 success of the Eskimo in exploiting his environment is due to the 

 fact that he carries his private microclimate about with him. Never- 

 theless, it is difficult to understand how one could live in the Arctic 

 and not suffer occasional cold exposure, and therefore many phys- 

 iological investigations have been designed to elucidate the more 

 subtle differences in thermoregulation. 



Basal metabolism. August and Marie Krogh(1913) reported that 

 the Greenland Eskimos were utilizing more than 300 gm of protein 

 in their diets per day and later suggested to Hygaard (1941) that the 

 elevated heat production (+13% of the DuBois Standard) of 22 Ang- 

 magssalik Eskimos of East Greenland may have been due to dietary 

 factors. An elevated basal metabolic rate has been reported by al- 

 most all investigators of the Eskimo. Rodahl (1952), who has re- 

 viewed the early literature, measured surface areas, and measured 

 the BMR's of 73 healthy Eskimos, concludes that apprehension and 

 the high protein diet are the reasons for the high BMR. MacHattie 

 et al. (1960), however, on the basis of the 24 hour metabolic studies 

 of the night fuel energy fractions in Anaktuvuk Pass Eskimos, con- 

 sider factors (unknown at present) other than the SDA of protein to 

 be involved. 



It is puzzling to many that the SDA of protein has such long last- 

 ing post prandialeffects on Eskimo metabolism. Keetonet al. (1946), 

 however, fed experimental diets high in either protein or carbohy- 

 drate to 12 male conscientious objectors for 5.5 months and reported 

 an 18% to 19% increase in metabolism (6 hours after the last meal) 

 due to the SDA of protein. And Hicks et al. (1934) reported the SDA 

 of raw meat ingested by Australian aboriginals to be 80% after five 

 hours. 



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