Abstract
ALTHOUGH various observers had made attempts to measure the respiratory capacity of the human body, the real pioneer work in spirometry was done about eighty years ago by John Hutchinson. Hutchinson worked out the vital capacity in relation to height, body weight, chest circumference, and age, attaching most importance to the first. He also made many observations as to the effect of disease upon the vital capacity, especially as regards phthisis. After the publication of his method of spirometry, considerable discussion arose both in this country and on the Continent as to its value in clinical medicine. By some clinicians it was held that the normal variations of health were so great as to preclude its extended use. The value of Hutchinson's figures in regard to height were early called in question, either as being too large or not of so great a value as figures calculated from the trunk length or sitting height. In the main, the results obtained by various observers were in favour of Hutchinson. In the little monograph by Prof. Dreyer and his colleague extensive tables are published showing the relationship of the vital capacity to sitting height, weight, and chest circumference. As Dr. F. S. Hobson has shown (NATURE, August 26), these tables will be of particular value to all those who are in any way interested in correlating the vital capacity with physical fitness, It is of interest that Prof. Dreyer and his co-workers have drawn conclusions contrary to those of Hutchinson in regard to the value of the sitting height, and also that age is looked upon as a factor of little or no importance up to about fifty years.
The Assessment of Physical Fitness: By Correlation of Vital Capacity and Certain Measurements of the Body.
(With Tables.) By Prof. Georges Dreyer., in collaboration with George Fulford Hanson. Pp. xi + 115. (London: Cassell and Co., Ltd., 1920.) Price 10s. net.
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The Assessment of Physical Fitness: By Correlation of Vital Capacity and Certain Measurements of the Body . Nature 106, 275 (1920). https://doi.org/10.1038/106275b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/106275b0