Physiological reactions of Caucasian and Bantu males in acute exposure to cold

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Eleven men per sample of Caucasian and Bantu males were exposed for 2 hr in a climatic chamber at various air temperatures ranging from 5 to 27 C, and a wind velocity of 80–100 ft/min. When expressed per square meter surface area the metabolism of the Bantu was greater in the range above 18 C and below 6 C. Average skin temperatures were similar for both groups, but between 27 and 17 C the toe and finger temperatures of the Caucasians were significantly higher than that of the Bantu—the difference at 27 C being 5 C for the fingers and 3.6 C for the toes. Rectal temperatures of both groups were similar between 27 and 17 C. With the rectal temperatures at 27 C air temperature as the criterion, it was found that as the air temperatures decreased below the 27–17 C range the rectal temperatures of the Bantu fell linearly, while the rectal temperatures of the Caucasians rose steadily. There is no doubt that in certain ranges of air temperatures there are significant differences between the cold reactions of Caucasians and the Bantu. cold adaptation; ethnic differences in response to cold; metabolic and body temperature reactions to cold; metabolic response to body temperature; metabolic reactions of ethnic groups Submitted on July 15, 1963

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: