Reactions to heat of Arabs and Caucasians

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Abstract
The physiological reactions to heat of samples of French servicemen and of Arabs in the Sahara Desert, were compared with those of South African Caucasians. Both Sahara groups displayed evidence of partial acclimatization; their reactions were better than those of the unacclimatized; but not as good as those of the acclimatized South African Caucasians. The French servicemen were slightly better acclimatized than the Arabs; they had lower rectal temperatures and heart rates, and higher sweat rates. This paradoxical finding indicates that the Arabs, although their ancestors have lived in the Sahara Desert for some centuries, display no greater adaptation to hot conditions than recent Caucasian inhabitants. The morphology of the Arab gives him a greater surface area: mass ratio than the Caucasian. This favors heat loss, but under the test conditions the Arabs had no apparent advantage in physiological reactions. The differences in morphology of the Arab and Caucasian appear to be related more to their nutritional state and physical activity levels than to any structural adaptation to heat. acclimatization to heat in Sahara Desert; adaptation to heat of Arabs; Caucasians and Arabs in Sahara Desert; heat reactions in the desert; morphology and adaptation to heat Submitted on February 28, 1964

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