| Abstract: | In 20 African mine labourers there was a significant average gain in weight from 122 lb on recruitment to 128 lb after one month, as a, result of a stable diet and regular physical labour. The mean estimated maximum oxygen capacity rose significantly from 2·32 l to 2·79 l after one month, with a further slight rise to 2·83 l after four months. On each of the three occasions that these men were studied maximum oxygen capacity was highly correlated with gross body weight, the correlation coefficients rising from 0·59 to 0·70 after one month and to 0·83 after four months. Some exceptions to the general rule of ‘ the heavier the man the higher his oxygen capacity ’ are discussed. The ratio of oxygen intake to rate of work did not alter significantly, indicating that the subjects did not become more efficient in the unitization of oxygen. Subjects ventilated 30 per cent more air through their lungs in order to take in one litre of oxygen per min for work at 6,000 feat altitude than do men at sea level. |
