90 
MUSCULAR WORK 
the work expressed in calories of external muscular work per minute will be 
given. The accumulated work to the end of the period is also given in small 
type in the respiratory quotient column. In practically every experiment 
except that on February 27 there was an increase of the respiratory quotient 
in work over the rest-period. On this date during the first periods of work, 
with 1.20 calories of external work per minute, the quotient averaged some- 
what less than during rest, but in the subsequent periods when the intensity 
of work was much greater, the respiratory quotient rose nearly to unity. 
The abnormal quotients of 1.05 and 0.80 on February 26 and the low quotient 
of 0.83 when 1.90 calories per minute were being evolved in the experiment of 
February 23 are not easily explained save on the ground of physiological 
errors or mechanical errors in the technique, the difficulties incidental to 
securing absolutely correct values for the respiratory quotient for each 
individual period having already been frequently emphasized in this report. 
The picture presented by these experiments is, however, fully in conformity 
with the general impressions obtained from the results previously given, 
namely, that with severe muscular work the respiratory quotient increases 
materially above that of rest. 
Table 96. — Respiratory quotients in experiments without food with subject M. A. M. in 
alternating conditions of work and lying on couch. 
[Figures in light-face type represent accumulated work to end of period expressed in calories.] 
Date. 
Calories 
per minute 
during 
period. 1 
Respiratory quotient. 
Date. 
Calories 
per minute 
during 
period. 1 
Respiratory quotient. 
1912. 
Mar. 19 
Mar. 25 
Work, 2.10 
Lying 
Work, 2.10 
Lying 
Work, 2.10 
Lying 
Work, 2.10 
Lying 
1 138 
( 0.91 
0.92 0.88 0.87 
( 177 250 
{ 0.91 0.88 
0.81 
(117 
1 0.91 
0.97 0.95 0.95 
( 173 223 
l 0.97 0.90 
0.97 0.93 
1912. 
Mar. 27 
Mar. 28 
Work, 2.10 
Lying 
Work, 2.10 
Lying 
Work, 1.70 
Lying 
Work, 1.90 
Lying 
(124 
\ 0.98 
1.02 0.87 0.87 
( 167 228 
\ 0.97 0.89 
0.82 0.93 
(107 
[ 0.81 
0.71 0.77 0.80 
J 147 201 
| 0.86 0.87 
0.75 0.72 
1 Approximate. 
In still another series of incomplete experiments, 4 in number, the 
quotients were not obtained before the work began, but were determined after 
the work was over. Furthermore, the rest-periods were frequently alternated 
with the work-periods. The results of these experiments are given in table 96. 
With the exception of the experiment on March 28, the intensity of work in 
all cases was very great, namely, 2.10 calories of external muscular work 
per minute. The respiratory quotients obtained in the experiment of March 
25 and in the first rest-period after work in the experiment of March 27 are 
striking exceptions to the general rule that the respiratory quotients after 
work are lower than those during work. Taking the table as a whole, however, 
the results given are in accord with those previously presented in that they 
show a marked fall in the respiratory quotient after severe muscular activity. 
Indeed, in certain of the experiments the resumption of muscular work was 
accompanied by another increase in the respiratory quotient, this being shown 
