186 Prof. S. Ringer and Mr. A. P. Stuart on the 



" On the Temperature of the Human Body in Health." By 

 Sydney Ringer, M.D., Professor of Therapeutics at Uni- 

 versity College, London, and the late Andrew P. Stuart, 

 M.R.C.S. Communicated by Dr. Sharpey, F.R.S. Received 

 January 19, 1877* 



Part I. 



These investigations were made in order to learn how the temperature 

 of the body comports itself in health ; since to every one it must be 

 obvious that without such knowledge it is impossible to determine with 

 any approach to certainty what variations in the temperature are to be 

 accepted as indications of disease. 



It is necessary to state here some particulars of the manner these 

 investigations were conducted, and of the precautions taken to avoid 

 error. 



The subjects of our observations were confined to bed during the 

 times when the investigations, continued on some occasions for seve- 

 ral days, were made. They were well covered with bed-clothes, and, 

 indeed, as far as possible throughout the time they remained in bed, were 

 kept under the same conditions, so that any alterations in their tem- 

 perature could not be ascribed to any exposure, or to any variation in 

 the temperature of the room, or to other accidental and preventible 

 causes. 



The thermometer was generally placed in the axilla, though on some 

 occasions the temperature of the mouth under the tongue and of the 

 rectum was noted at the same time. These observations are sufficiently 

 numerous to enable us to say that, due care being taken and sufficient 

 time allowed, the temperature of the axilla is always identical with that 

 of the mouth and with that of the rectum, four to six inches above its 

 termination. 



A non-registering thermometer was retained in the axilla and read in 

 situ until the completion of each series of these observations ; and the 

 temperature was noted hourly, or nearly so, from 9 am. to a late hour 

 in the evening, usually to 12 p.m. On some days hourly observations 

 were made during both night and da} T . The time of taking food and 

 the kind and quantity were always accurately recorded. 



It is well to mention that some of the persons who were the subjects 

 of this investigation were convalescents from various diseases, but had 

 fairly recovered, and might be considered to be in tolerably good health. 



That the subsequent remarks may be more clearly understood, we first 

 give a short account of the general course the temperature followed in 

 one of the boys whose case is recorded in this paper ; and to render the 

 account more intelligible, we attach a chart of his temperature variations, 

 taken hourly for two entire days. 



* Read February 11, 1869. See Proc. Roy. Soc. vol. xvii. p. 287. 



