Metabolic responses of human subjects to severe acute thermal stress.

Abstract

Summary. 1 The oxygen consumption, rectal temperature, skin temperature, and pulse rate of human subjects during and after exposure to extremely high environmental temperatures have been recorded. 2 A rise in the metabolic rate during thermal stress was observed, with a subsequent fall after it. No decrease in the metabolic rate below the pre-heating level could be observed during the first hour, 10 hours, and 18 hours after the thermal stress. 3 Positive correlations between the metabolic rate and the rectal temperature, skin temperature, and pulse rate were observed.