Physiological reactions to cold of Caucasian females

¹ Applied Physiology Laboratory, Transvaal and Orange Free State Chamber of Mines, Johannesburg, South Africa

The physiological reactions to cold of nine female Caucasians were examined and compared with the reactions of a sample of male Caucasians. The experiment was conducted in the climatic chamber of the Applied Physiology Laboratory at air temperatures of 27 and 5 C, with a wind velocity of 80–100 ft/min. The sample of nine did not provide for intermediate temperature studies. The metabolic rates of the females were lower than those of the males, at both 27 and 5 C, but when expressed per square meter no differences were found. Finger and toe and rectal temperatures were the same for both sexes at 5 C, but the average female finger temperature was lower than that of the males at 27 C. The average female skin temperature was 2 C lower than that of the males. This indicates a greater subcutaneous insulation for females and this is confirmed by skinifold measurements. Both Caucasian sexes therefore display an increase in rectal temperature with fall in air temperature, which contrasts markedly with the Bantu and Bushman, both of whom show a decrease in rectal temperatures.

Submitted on September 17, 1963