Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Vol. 8 of 10: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the People, Illustrated
The qualities which are chiefly attended to in the pulse are its frequency, its regularity, its fulness, its tension, and its force. The frequency of the pulse varies greatly with the age. In the foetus in utero, the pulsations vary from 140 to 150 in the minute; in the newly-born infant, from 130 to 140 in the 2d year, from 100 to 115; from the 7th to the 14th year, from 80 to 90; from the 14th to the 2lst year, from 75 to 85; and from the 21st to the 6oth year, 70 to 75. After this period, the pulse is generally supposed to fall in frequency, but the most opposite assertions have been made on this subject. There are many excep tions to the preceding statement; young persons being often met with having a pulse below 60, and cases not unfrequently occurring in which the pulse habitually reached 100, or did not exceed 40 in the minute, without apparent disease. The numbers which have been given are taken from an equal number of males and females, and the pulsations taken in the sitting position. The influence of sex is very considerable, especially in adult age, the pulse of the adult female exceeding in frequency that of the male of the same age by from 10 to 14 beats in the minute. The effect of muscular exertion in raising the pulse is well known and it has been found by Dr Guy that posture materially influences the number of pulsations Thus, in healthy males of the mean age of 27 years, the average frequency of the pulse was, when standing, 81, when sitting, 71, and when lying, 66, per minute; while in healthy females of the same age the averages were standing, 91; sitting, 84; and lying, 79. During sleep, the pulse is usually considerably slower than in the waking state. In disease (acute hydro cephalus, for example), the pulse may reach 150 or even 200 beats; or, on the other hand (as in apoplexy and in certain organic affections of the heart), it may be as slow as between 30 and 20. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
