41 
1921-22.] Physical Test Station, Edinburgh, Pesults. 
indicated very clearly the influence of age, which reduces the “ crest- 
loads” both on normal and on enriched air. In other words, anoxaemia 
(as might be expected) makes itself felt lower down the scale of exertion 
as age increases; stamina is reduced and a degree of exercise which 
would be a normal load to a younger man is an over-load to an older one. 
The effect in question is shown by hgs. 3 and 4, of which the former is 
the record of a man of forty-four — a painter in civil life — who was classed 
B 2 owing to kidney trouble, and the latter that of a well-developed and 
athletic cadet of eighteen. The report sent out in regard to the older man 
was: ''Stamina: Very poor. Condition : Poor. Observations: Not worth 
training ; no use as an infantryman. Recommendation : Suggest that he 
be set to his own trade.” And that in regard to the cadet was : ‘‘ Stamina : 
Excellent. Condition: Excellent. Observations: First-rate material; fit 
for anything. Probable increase of fitness from P.D., 10 per cent.” 
That a man of middle age, who is habituated in civilian life to physical 
labour, may sometimes preserve the physiological characteristics of youth 
is illustrated by fig. 5, which gives the curves of a working miner, aged 
forty-two. Expressed on the system above described, his fitness was 
79 per cent, and his stamina 90 per cent. 
The physical deterioration brought about by wounds and hard active 
service is indicated by fig. 7. In this instance the subject was a corporal, 
aged thirty-two, who had joined the Army in 1914; he had suffered from 
trench fever and had been wounded three times. His medical category 
was Al, but the tests showed that, though probably as fit as he was ever 
likely to be, his stamina had become so impaired that he was of no 
further use as an infantryman, and it was recommended that he should 
be re-boarded so that his category might be lowered, 
The remaining charts, figs. 6 and 8, are of special interest as repre- 
senting the extremes of physical capacity. Both subjects were young 
men of “ A ” category ; but while the former was a highly-intelligent 
instructor in physical drill, and a first-class footballer, runner, jumper, 
and all-round athlete, the latter was deficient both physically and 
mentally. 
A complete account of the numerous tests made upon the sergeant- 
instructor is given in the writer’s paper in the Journal of Physiology , 
loc. cit., p. 302. When the curves of fig. 6 were obtained he had a fitness 
of 70 per cent.; on the lightest loads he respired at the very low rate of 
2.5 to 3 breaths per minute, and when dealing with a heavy load, like 
12,000 ft.-lbs., he only breathed nine times per minute. As the chart 
shows, his COg level was very high, and in consequence he used a small 
