Validity -of Ergograph as Measurer of Work Capacity 47 



fatigue curves have grown gradually though not uniformly less 

 in the succeeding curves. 



There are several considerations to be made here. As the 

 pause is too short to remove the hand and give it the best oppor- 

 tunity for rest, a very unfavorable disposition begins to arise. 

 The hand becomes congested with blood, and muscle cramps are 

 likely to manifest themselves. Even under the most favorable 

 conditions, for instance, where the hand could be taken out and 

 given the best opportunity to recuperate, the pause would be 

 likely to show a decreasing efficiency for recuperation. To re- 

 move the hand would result in a loss of the incitation that comes 

 with being warmed up to a task. 



The observations were divided between the "exhaustion" and 

 "not exhaustion" types, and with one or two exceptions the "not 

 exhaustion" performances show a higher value for the rest period 

 than the "exhaustion" performances. In the observations where 

 a two-minute pause was allowed, the "not exhaustion" shows at 

 an equal, or perhaps only a little advantage over the "exhaus- 

 tion." Compared with the observations in which one-minute 

 pause was allowed, the per cent of increase for the right hand is 

 nearly twenty and somewhat less for the left. The unfavorable 

 disposition created by the longer confinement of the hand in the 

 fixating devices was greater, and the reagents found the experi- 

 ments even more irksome than when a one-minute pause was 

 allowed. The results of these observations are introduced rather 

 to direct the attention to the problem here involved than on 

 account of the value which they may have in themselves. They 

 represent the last work that was done and would have been con- 

 tinued except for lack of time. 



SUMMARY 



Ergograph records change relatively in the course of a long 

 series and thus the first records in a series are invalidated, for 

 maximum performances furnish a more reliable measure of work 

 capacity. 



Since exercise induces a condition within the muscles them- 

 selves which reduces their capacity for work, ergograph records 



125 



