TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION I. 



811 



phyaiological effort and maximum mechanical output. (The piece-work system 

 in force at the East Surrey Docks is as follows : A voluntary association of 

 labourers or ' gang ' of, say, six men contracts to shift 100 tons of ooal at 

 so much per ton -within n hours. The gang earns money in common ; each 

 member works under observation of his mates, and works hard ; there can be 

 no slacking.) What may be termed the calibration of a labourer is completed 

 whei; the hourly ordinates of his CO., exhalation per second have been taken 

 for the whole day (or for several days). 



These ordinates can thereafter (or directly) be translated into calories per 

 hour by multiplying the caloric value of 1 c.c. CO, X 3,600, or assuming an 

 average caloric value of 1 c.c. CO, = at an average value of the Respiratory 



30 0, 



25 3 



21 



21 



177 



60 



Kalones 

 per hour 



600 



- 400 



200 



8 A.M. 9 10 II 12 I P.M. 2 3 4 



228 



- 400 



- 200 



8AM. 9 10 II 12 I P.M 2 



Quotient = 0-90, the conversion can be made into kilo calories per hour by 

 taking the factor x 20 for the CO, ordinate — i.e., 1 c.c. CO2 per sec. = 

 20 calories per hour. 



Averaging from the last three hours of two days for the labourer T.K. I 

 obtain (in rounded figures) : 



For time work, 21 c.c. CO., per sec, 420 kilo calories per hour. 

 For piece work, 14 c.c. CO", per sec, 280 kilo calories per hour. 



Otherwise expressed, the physiological cost of his labour to T.K. is 



on time work _2 

 on piece work 3' 



Due precautions against observational error must of course be taken ; these 

 do not, however, render the method at all cumbersome ; the interruption of 

 work is minimal and not objected to by men while working on the gang system, 

 when each minute's work by each member means money to all members. 



The method is best described by an actual demonstration of the determination 

 of the resting value of the CO, ordinate of any one of this audience. 



The demonstration will be completed in three minutes, which I will fill in 

 by placing on the board the figures obtained in an analogous observation made 

 this morning upon my daughter to ascertain in her case the physiological cost 



B B 2 



