MEASUREMENTS 



275 



obtained with a tape measure passed round the lower part of the 

 shoulder blades at the level of the nipples. When reading this 

 measurement the respiration of the subject should be stopped. 



The thoracic perimeter and the vital capacity vary according 

 to the race. The following results have been found, for example, 

 on adults : THORACIC VITAL 



PERIMETER CAPACITY 



[French 0-86 m. 3-750 litres 



fWhites 0-84 ,, 2-709 



Americans J Indians 0-86 ,, 3-009 



[Negroes 0-85 2-649 ,, 



Germans 0-86 3-222 ,, 



English 0-88 3-772 ,, 



Generally the perimeter varies between 0-80 m. and 0-90m. in 

 Europeans and the vital capacity between 3 and 4 litres. 



203. Measurement of the Surface and Volume of the Human 

 Body. The area of the surface is usually obtained by Meeh's 

 formula ( 80). 



The volume is given by the volume of water displaced when the 

 subject plunges up to the 

 ears in a bath fitted with 

 an overflow, the initial 

 level of the water being 

 flush with the overflow 

 (fig. 163). The plunge 

 should be made gently 

 after having turned off 

 the tap, and the tern- FlG - 163 - 



perature of the bath, 



which should be between 20 and 25C, should be noted. The 

 water displaced and weighed will give the volume of the immersed 

 body at the rate of (1 cm. 3 + <*) per gramme. The following 

 table gives the values of 1 + a for various temperatures : 



