194 



QUADRUMANA. 



respiration in three postures of the body for 

 the same number of the pulse: the pulse 

 being 64, the proportions were : 



standing, 2'95 to 1. 

 sitting, 3'35 to 1. 

 lying, 4'97 to 1. 



Again, an average of 14 experiments, in which 

 the pulse in the sifting and recumbent posture 

 had the same frequency, namely, 62'40, gave 

 the following results : 



sitting, 3'30 to 1. 

 lying, 4'39 to 1. 



The difference between the erect and sitting 

 posture is less considerable, as will appear 

 from the following average results of six 

 observations, in which the pulse had the same 

 frequency in these two postures, namely, 

 61-45: 



standing, 3'05 to 1. 



sitting, 3'40 to 1. 



The proportion which the pulse bears to 

 the respiration, therefore, is greater in the 

 erect than in the sitting posture, and in the 

 sitting than in the recumbent posture ; but 

 the difference is greater in the latter than in 

 the former case. 



If experiments made with great care upon 

 a single individual in the enjoyment of good 

 health may be employed to establish general 

 rules, the following may be laid down in refer- 

 ence to the proportion between the pulse and 

 respiration. 



1. The proportion which the pulse bears 

 to the respiration varies greatly with the fre- 

 quency of the pulse. 



2. The proportion of the pulse to the 

 respiration decreases as the frequency of the 

 pulse increases. 



3. The proportion of the pulse to the 

 respiration for the same frequency of the 

 pulse is greater in the evening than in the 

 morning ; the respirations in the evening 

 being to those in the morning as 18 to 17. 



4*. The proportion of the pulse to the 

 respiration varies in different postures, being 

 higher in the erect than in the sitting, and in 

 the sitting than in the recumbent posture ; the 

 difference between the sitting and the recum- 

 bent posture being greater than between the 

 sitting and erect posture. 



Since these results were published, Dr. 

 Harden, of Georgia, U. S., has published an 

 account of some experiments on the pulse 

 and respiration* made on his own person, 

 but without the use of any registering instru- 

 ment. They are, to a certain extent, con- 

 firmatory of the results obtained by the writer. 

 The average number of respirations was as 

 follows: Standing, 16; sitting, 14; lying, 

 12 ; the average numbers of the pulse in the 

 same postures, 80, 70, and 66. By selecting 

 from the table published by Dr. Harden five 



* Observations on the Pulse and Respiration, by 

 John M. B. Harden, M.D., of Liberty County, 

 Georgia. .American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 

 April 1843, vol. v. p. 340. 



observations, in which the pulse, in each of 

 the three postures, was 68, the following num- 

 bers are obtained : Respirations, standing, 

 15*2 ; sitting, 1 4*4 ; lying, 13. The propor- 

 tions consequently are 4*47 to 1, 4*72 to 1, 

 and 5*23 to 1, which follow the same order 

 as the experiments of the writer, though they 

 present smaller differences. The respira- 

 tions are also more numerous in the evening 

 than in the morning, in the proportion of 13 

 and 13, the pulse being 62 at the former 

 period, and 64 at the latter. 



Calculations founded on the observations 

 of Dr. Pennock, already more than once re- 

 ferred to, confirm the preceding results, as 

 far as the standing and sitting postures are 

 concerned. 



As the calculations in question serve to 

 exhibit the relation existing between the 

 Pulse and Respiration in advanced age, as 

 well as, by inference, the increasing frequency 

 of the respiration in the aged, they are ap- 

 pended in a tabular form. 



These results are somewhat at variance 

 with those obtained by Hourmann and Des- 

 chambre, who found both the pulse and re- 

 spiration to increase in frequency with the 

 advance of age, but in consequence of the 

 former increasing more rapidly than the latter, 

 the proportion between the one and the other 

 diminished instead of increasing. The effect 

 of posture on the pulse and respiration was 

 not examined by them ; and it is probable 

 that their observations were made in the re- 

 cumbent position. 



Such are the leading results of careful 

 observation on the frequency of the pulse as 

 affected by the more influential natural causes. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. The leading monographs and 

 essays which contain well observed facts bearing 

 on the physiology of the pulse, will be found among 

 the references in 'the foot-notes. The older works 

 are so filled with fanciful conceits, and are so little 

 likely to be referred to, that it has not been thought 

 necessary to give a list of them in this place. 



(William A.Guy.) 



QUADRUMANA. The four-handed 

 order of Mammalia, deriving their name from 

 the thumb being opposed to the other fingers 

 and toes, in the feet as well as in the hands, 

 by which peculiarity they are enabled to 

 grasp objects both with their anterior and 

 with their posterior extremities. According 



