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VARIATIONS IN THE MEAN BODILY TEMPERATURE. 



The temperature in the new-born exhibits special peculiarities, such 

 as would be readily explicable from the sudden change in the conditions 

 of life. Immediately after birth the temperature of the child is on the 

 average 0.3 higher than that of the vagina of the mother, namely 

 37.86 C. In the first hours after birth the temperature declines about 

 0.9 C., in conjunction with the reduction in gaseous interchange. After 

 from nine to thirty-six hours it will again have risen to the average 

 temperature of the infant, which is about 37.45 C. Certain irregular 

 fluctuations occur during the first week of life. During sleep the tem- 

 perature in infants declines between 0.34 and 0.56 C. Persistent crying 

 may cause the temperature to rise several tenths of a degree. Less heat 

 is produced in the aged on account of their lesser activity of metabolism, 

 so that they suffer more readily from cold and therefore need warmer 

 clothing. 



Periodic variations in the course of the day are constant at all 

 periods of life. In general, it may be stated that the temperature rises 

 continuously by day, the maximum being reached between 5 and 8 p. m. ; 

 while it declines continuously by night, the minimum being reached 

 between 2 and 6 a. m. The mean temperature of the body is found in 

 the third hour after breakfast. The average level of all the temperatures 

 observed in a person in the course of a day is designated the daily mean, 

 which, according to Jager, is 37.13 in the rectum. If the daily mean is 

 above 37.8 it must be considered as febrile, and if below 37 as an 

 evidence of collapse. 



As the daily variations in temperature occur also during the state of hunger, 

 although the elevations are somewhat less after the time for meals, the ingestion 

 of food cannot alone be the cause of the variations, but these appear to reside 

 essentially in the varying degree of muscular activity. 



* Indicates ingestion of food. 



