Body Temperature and Comfort, 



By J. Aegyll Campbell. 



These records have been taken from the same subject with the 

 same clinical thermometers during residence in various climates — 

 Scotland, Malaya, Java and Australia. They cover a period of 

 six years. 



It is well known that, so delicate is the heat regulating system 

 of man, his temperature is only slightly influenced by the tem- 

 perature of his surroundings. This fact is shown by records of 

 temperature in the Tropics and in the Arctic regions. By wearing 

 appropriate clothing and living in suitable quarters the temperature 

 remains practically the same. 



In this paper the temperature of the well-closed and dry axilla 

 is taken as a guide to the (temperature of the body. The temper- 

 ature of the mouth as well as the wet and dry bulb readings for 

 the atmosphere are also given. Observations were made in the 

 same room always, in each case. The thermometers were left in 

 situ for four minutes. With the clinical thermometers employed, 

 this was found to be sufficient, although Pembrey (1) says, "in 

 order to obtain accurate results the thermometer should be retained 

 for eight minutes in the mouth and eleven minutes in the well- 

 closed and dry axilla." 



Meals were taken as follows, morning tea between 6 a.m. and 

 7 a.m., breakfast between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., lunch between 1 p.m. 

 and 2 p.m., afternoon tea between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., dinner be- 

 tween 7.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m., except in the case of the Blue 

 Mountains where -the evening meal was taken between 6.30 p.m. 

 and 7.30 p.m. There is a rise in temperature after a meal (2). 



Exercise — walking, golf or tennis — was taken fairly regularly. 

 The letter E on the charts denotes exercise. Exercise produces a 

 rise in temperature, which disappears soon after cessation of the 

 exercise (3). 



Standard works state that, speaking generally, the temperature 

 rises during the morning and the afternoon, but falls during the 

 evening and early part of the morning (4). 



In the present work all the records are comparable as regards 

 daily routine. They were taken during holidays. 



The subject is a thin healthy man aged 3-i years, 5 ft. 9 ins. 

 in height and 10 stone -± lbs. in weight. 



The readings are given in Fahrenheit scale. 



Jour. Straits Branch R. A. Soc, No. 80, 1919. 



