TEMPERATU II E OF TIIE HUMAN BODY.— In the following observations we shall make use of the measures of temperature given by Dr. John Davy. These amount to one hun dred and fourteen in number, and were made on individuals of both sexes and of different ages in three quarters of the world, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in different latitudes, under various temperatures, and among individuals of different races. But, as the knowledge of the mean and extreme temperatures of the body of man would have little value apart from the statement of the circumstances and conditions under which they were ascertained, we shall at the same time give the ages of the subjects and the temperature of the air at the time of the observations.
The mean age of the subjects of Dr. Davy's observations was twenty-seven years. The mean temperature of the air vvas 23°, 3 c. (74° F.nbe tween the limits of 15°, 5 (60° F.) and 27°, 8 (82° F.). In these circumstances the mean temperature of the body, which was always taken in the mouth, was 37°, 7 (100° F.) be tween the extremes 35°, 8 (96°, 5 F.) and 38°, 9 (102° F.). The greatest difference in one hundred and fourteen observations, there fore, scarcely exceeded three degrees. The
temperature of the human body thus obtained might be considered as exact if the conditions of agc and extenral atmospheric temperature approached pretty closely to their respective means. This, in fact, was the case as regards the first term, but not as concerns the second ; for some of the observations were made under very intense degrees of heat, such as 27°, 8 F.), but none at the opposite extreme, or at a temperature which could be reputed cold, a temperature of 15° (59° F.) being already suf ficiently agreeable. So that if the temperature of the air influences that of the body, a ques tion which we shall examine by-and-by, the mean which we have stated as the temperature of the species would be too high.
It is of some consequence to pursue these inquiries among the lower members of creation, among animals; and the writer to whom we arc indebted fur the observations quoted upon man has also made a great num ber upon the lower animals. We shall there fore continue to make use of this series of experiments, as we have already made use of that which bore upon man individually.