Studies in Ventilation

Abstract

Skin temp. of the cheeks and forehead were determined by thermocouples upon 3 [male] subjects in a steam-heated, window ventilated office during the winter, spring, and early summer. Readings were made 5 times a day together with wet and dry bulb temp. readings. The data indicated are: (1) a positive correlation between skin temp. and room humidity during the closed window season wholly ascribable to evaporation from the respiratory tract and so small as to be reversed by the slight effect of freer ventilation in the open window season; (2) a positive correlation with air temp., indicating a rise in skin temp. of 0.14[degree]C per degree F in room temp. and a corresponding shift of 3% of the total heat loss from radiation and convection to latent heat of evaporation (similar coefficients, reported by or computed from the work of other investigators, being given for comparison). The effective temp. scale, while admirably suited to comparisons in the higher temp. range of industrial conditions, overestimates the relation of humidity to skin temp. in the range of ordinary office conditions in the winter.