Physiological reactions to cold of men in the Antarctic

Abstract

The physiological reactions to cold of five members of the 1961–1962 South African expedition to the Antarctic were studied in a climatic chamber in Johannesburg, and again after 6 months and after 12 months in the Antarctic. Their results were compared with the results of a control group in Johannesburg. The predeparture results were within the 95% significance intervals of the control group. After 12 months in the Antarctic their results fell outside the 95% significance intervals of the control group when at 5 C air temperature, metabolism, average skin temperatures, rectal temperatures, and finger temperatures were all significantly lower. Toe temperatures, however, were higher. There appeared to be a gradual “adaptation” and general “toughening” to the cold, because the subjects shed their clothing progressively until they could run about naked in the snow. The values at the thermoneutral zone of 27 C did not change over the 12 months, however. It is therefore concluded that it is unlikely that the changes in physiological responses were of endocrine origin. cold adaptation in Antarctic; metabolic and body temperature reactions to cold Submitted on August 16, 1963