The feeling of cold experienced by nearly every member of the squad, causing discomfort in many instances, led us to believe that there might possibly be a very considerable difference in skin temperature. The fact that there was a distinctly lower heat production suggests a lower skin temperature. Thep ronounced decrease in pulse-rate might also lead one to expect lower skin temperatures. The measurement of skin temperature has been found difficult, but it is believed that the method outlined in an earlier section (page 78) gave an approximate index of the skin temperature which, if not absolutely reliable, should at least permit comparative measurements from week to week. The control observations made with those not on diet also give a suggestion as to whether the surface temperatures of the squad on diet were, on the whole, lower or higher than those of normal individuals. Here, again, the number of control individuals was altogether too small for best deductions. The measurement of skin temperature was admittedly an afterthought. The results are, however, sufficiently extensive to warrant presentation, if the paucity of normals is duly considered. The values obtained for Squads A and B are accordingly given in table 23.

1 Benedict, Carnegie Inst. Wash. Pub. No. 203, 1915, p. 95.

Table 23. - Skin Temperatures Of Squads A And B During Periods Of Reduced Diet

1 Room temperature, Jan. 26, 22.8° C. 2 Room temperature, Jan. 19, 23.6° C.

3 Room temperature, Feb. 2, 25.2° C. 4 Room temperature, Jan. 27, 27.3° C.

The first series of skin temperature measurements was made with Squad B on January 19, when the men had been two weeks on the reduced diet. The subjects had been sitting in the library taking the group psychological tests for approximately an hour prior to the temperature measurements, and had engaged in no physical exercise. At the end of these group psychological tests the men were instructed to place their hands, palms down, upon the table and remain quiet while the observations on skin temperature were being recorded. The room temperature, as taken by a thermometer suspended at approximately the level of their heads, indicated 23.6° C. on this particular date. The results of the temperature measurements upon the surface of the upper side of the right and left hands and on the forehead are given for all of the men in Squad B, together with the measurements for two individuals on unrestricted diet. Subsequent observations of the temperature of the forehead have shown that this location gives by far the best measurement of the skin temperature, with less fluctuation, than any other part measured.

Measurements were made upon the backs of both the right and left hands to find if the unilateral disturbance suggested in some of the protocols and subjective impressions of some of the men was actually present. An inspection of the values for Squad B on January 19, shows that there is relatively little difference between the temperatures for the two hands. In only three cases (How, Van, and Wil) were there differences greater than 1.5° C. That this difference is not characteristic of these men can be seen from subsequent values found on January 27, on which date the temperatures for both hands were much more nearly constant.

Comparing the values for Squad B on January 19 with those for two normals on the same date, we find that for the right hand the average temperature is for the 12 men 31.34° C, while the record for each of the normals is somewhat less than this. With the left hand the average temperature for Squad B is 30.95° C; both of the normals show temperatures somewhat lower. These results would indicate that the average temperature of the hands with Squad B was slightly higher than the temperature measurements obtained for the two normals. It should be stated, furthermore, that both normals had been moderately'occupied in giving the psychological tests during the previous hour, which involved considerably more exercise than had been taken by Squad B.

The temperature of the forehead ranged with Squad B from 31.93° C. (Wil) to 34.1° C. (Kim). The average for the 12 men is 32.7° C. The two normals, however, show perceptibly higher forehead temperatures, namely, 33.63° C. and 34.23° C.

Subsequent research has shown the rather striking influence of changes in room temperature upon the temperature of the skin.

The only conclusion that one can fairly deduce from this particular day, therefore, is that the skin temperatures of Squad B, after approximately two weeks of reduced diet, were not greatly unlike those of the two normals with whom they were compared.

On January 26, ten members of Squad A were studied. These men had been on a reduced diet for approximately four months, and the temperature measurements were made under exactly the same conditions as those for the test with Squad B on January 19, namely, in the library immediately after the hour of the group psychological tests. The room temperature was 22.8° C. Considering the measurements on the right and left hands first, we find no pronounced difference between the two hands as measurements differing by over 1.5° C. are found in no instance with any member of the squad. On this particular evening we fortunately had four normals for control, and hence can speak more confidently of the comparison with the normal individuals. The average temperature for the right hand found with ten members of the squad was 29.09° C. With the normals the average was somewhat higher, i. e., 31.17° C. With the left hand similar average figures were obtained, being 28.83° C. for Squad A and 31.03° C. for the normals. The very low values found for a few men of Squad A should be noted, namely, those with Bro, Kon, Moy, Pec, Tom, and Vea, all values very perceptibly lower than the normal values. Thus, though the evidence is strongly against any unilateral temperature condition, there is positive evidence that with certain members of this squad the skin temperature on the backs of the hands was considerably lower than that of normal individuals.