904 



EDWARD C. SCHNEIDER 



studies the output of thousands of industrial workers in various parts of 

 the United States; mental activity of certain classes at West Point and 

 Annapolis ; and strength tests of school children in Denmark. The annual 

 work curves are quite similar. The lowest period of efficiency occurs in 

 December, January and February, reaching the minimum at about the 

 end of January. The efficiency curve then gradually rises to a first 

 maximum in May and June, falling moderately until the end of July, 

 rising again in September, with the greatest maximum in November. He 

 also presents a curve of gain in body weight based on a report of patients 

 suffering from tuberculosis in a sanatorium at Saranac Lake. This is 

 similar to the work output curve with the least gain or no gain in February 

 and March, and the maximum gain in October. A study of death rate 

 reveals another of the same type of curves, a marked reduction in May and 

 June, an increase in July and August; followed by another reduction in 

 which the low death rate occurs in October, November, and December, 

 with November showing the lowest rate for the year. All these data 

 combine to demonstrate that the period of greatest physical and mental 

 efficiency occurs in the late spring and late autumn. 



An analysis has convinced Huntington that changes in the barometer, 

 in the localities studied, seem to have little effect. Humidity possesses a 

 considerable degree of importance, but the most important factor is clearly 

 temperature. He came to the conclusion that the optimum temperature 

 of outside air for physical well being is from 60 to 65 F., that is when 

 the noon temperature rises to 70 F. or even more ; and for mental work 

 the optimum is reached when the outside temperature averages 38 F. 

 Another highly important climatic condition is that of the temperature 

 change from day to day. "It seems to be a law of organic life that variable 

 temperature is better than uniformity." The ideal conditions are mod- 

 erate temperature changes, "especially a cooling of the air at frequent 

 intervals." Variations in temperature give one of the best tonics provided 

 by nature. 



All experimentation and observation go to demonstrate that climate 

 exerts a noteworthy influence on the physical and mental life of mankind. 

 This effect is largely due to the movement, humidity and temperature of 

 the air. Another physical factor, altitude, is still to be discussed. 



The Psychological Factor in Climatotherapy 



The principles of climatic treatment are founded on psychology as well 

 as physiology. The external conditions which we see and feel make a 

 greater conscious impression than the physiologic effects which do not come 

 into the field of consciousness; unless, as is rarely the case, they are ex- 

 treme and unusual. A climate that is conducive to out-of-door living 



