Page 419. 
Page 420. 
6 ON SOME OF THE MINOR FLUCTUATIONS 
2. ON SOME OF THE MINOR FLUCTUATIONS IN THE 
TEMPERATURE OF THE HUMAN BODY WHEN 
AT REST, AND THEIR CAUSE.* . 
Tue author's object in the following communication is to show that 
the minor fluctuations in the temperature of the human body, not in- 
cluding those arising from movements of muscles, mainly result from 
alterations in the amount of blood exposed at its surface to the influence 
of external absorbing and conducting media. 
In the following Tables, when not otherwise mentioned, all the 
temperatures are taken under the tongue, the thermometer remaining 
in the mouth for five minutes, except when the observations were made 
each two-and-a-half minutes, on which occasions the temperature of 
the bulb was not allowed to fall below 85° F. 
It may be remarked that in no case mentioned below was the tem- 
perature of the air above 65° F., and that on all occasions the skin was 
dry, whereby any complications from the presence of perceptible 
moisture were avoided ; and the arguments based on the facts necessi- 
tate an approximation to those conditions. 
The Tables have been selected from a great number of observa- 
tions; and xo results have been obtained which are not easily ex- 
plained on the theory given. 
The temperatures were taken on one subject, aged 22, male, thin. 
* “ Proceedings of the Royal Society,” XVII. pp. 419-26. Read May 13, 1869. 
Communicated by Dr. Beale. 
