Arterial oxygen saturation was measured by means of an earlobe oximeter in 68 older (mean age 59.5) and 58 younger, (mean age 23.4 years) healthy men while breathing a 10% O2, 90% N2 mixture for a period of 10 min. The drop of the arterial oxygen saturation was more pronounced in the older men, and the difference in reaction was statistically highly significant. Submitted on January 9, 1961