Hypotension may justly be said to be a symptom, rather than a disease. It is not even established that it is always a manifestation of a diseased bodily state. It is certain that distinct hypotension is compatible with perfect health. It is also true that many hypotensive subjects have great bodily vigor. There is no agreement among clinicians or among physiologists as to what constitutes hypotension. The majority of writers place the upper limit of the systolic pressure in hypotension at 110 mm. in adults,1the readings being taken by the auscultatory method. That the norms for young adults are not definitely established was shown by Alvarez,2who published two interesting series of tabulations. His first series included a study of 8,737 freshmen at the University of California, the second3amplified this to a study of blood pressures of 15,000 university freshmen. He showed that the pressures