COMPARATIVE SWEAT RATES OF ESKIMOS AND CAUCASIANS UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS

• Main Authors: RODAHL,KAARE, RENNIE,DONALD W.
• Other Authors: ARCTIC AEROMEDICAL LAB FORT WAINWRIGHT ALASKA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1957
• Subjects: ANTHROPOLOGY; ESKIMOS; eskimo*
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0294094; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0294094

Comparative sweat rates and metabolic rates were measured in Eskimos and whites under three separate conditions. Thermometric studies were performed on two individuals from each group in order to permit correlations with body heat balance, body temperature, etc. The evidence indicated a greater heat production in the Eskimo group at rest and during standard comparative exercises. Under conditions favoring body heat debt, no difference in insensible water loss occurred between the two groups. The average skin temperature of the Eskimo did tend to be elevated above the whites' at all environmental temperatures below 35 C. This, undoubtedly, was due to the increased heat production of the Eskimo group and the resultant increased heat flux to the skin. A high correlation existed between the average skin temperature and sweat rates of both the Eskimo and white groups, and the frequency-distribution of the data was the same for both. This indicates that the thermosensory receptors in the skin of the Eskimo were stimulated relatively more under these conditions because of their warmer skin. The increased thermosensory activity from skin receptors would account for the increased sweat activity of this group. (Author)