248 



Scientific Proceedings (121). 



Blood pressures were taken by Korotkow's auscultatory 

 method, using in all cases a Princo mercury sphygmomanometer. 

 The reading for the diastolic pressure was made at the beginning 

 of the fourth phase. All girls were examined in the sitting posture. 



There is a rapid rise in the systolic pressure from 104 mm. at 

 9 years to approximately 124 mm. at 14 years. This remains at 

 the same level through the next year. Then there is a rapid fall 

 of over 10 mm. to 18 years. From that age on the pressure 

 remains fairly constant around no mm. up to 26 years. 



The diastolic pressure rises evenly from 63 mm. at 9 years 

 to about 76 mm. at 14 years. It maintains about this level 

 throughout the remaining years. 



The pulse rate drops rapidly from 98 at 9 years to 80 at 18 

 years and then continues with little change. 



Since, at 14 years of age, practically all girls in this climate 

 have begun to menstruate, these curves would seem to indicate, 

 that allowing 3 or 4 years for recovery from metabolic disturbances 

 incident to the onset of puberty, the blood pressures and pulse 

 rate vary little during the following 8 years. 



In the height curves, the systolic pressure rises gradually from 

 104 mm. at 50 inches to 113 mm. at 69 inches. The diastolic 

 pressure rises slightly more rapidly — from 64 mm. to 74 mm. 

 The pulse rate drops rather evenly from 106 to 82 per minute. 



The weights are arranged in classes of 10 lbs. each. 



The systolic pressure rises rapidly from 104 mm. for the 51-60 

 lb. class up to 118 mm. for the 91-100 lb. class. Then it runs 

 along without much change until it reaches the 151-160 lb. group. 

 Here the rise is abrupt up to about 130 mm. for the 200 lb. class. 

 The diastolic pressure shows a gradual rise from 58 mm. in the 

 41-50 lb. class to about 90 mm. at 200 lbs. 



The pulse rate shows a decline from 102 at 51-60 lbs. to 78 at 

 200 lbs. 



The conclusion from a consideration of these data is that in 

 determining the normal blood pressures and pulse rate for girls 

 between 9 and 26 years of age, it is necessary to consider, not age 

 alone, but weight and height as well. 



