CONARD
mentof skin looseness was carried out by grasp-
ing the skin with the thumb and forefinger,
pulling it gently outward, and applying the caliper opened to 4 cm.so that each leg was firmly
against the skin lateral to the fingers. Thecaliper was then allowed to close by its own spring
tension and the height of the fold of skin impinged was measured in millimeters on the scale
“C” of the caliper. The elongated ends of the
legs impinge on | cm. surface of skin and exert a pressure of 500 Gm. Thereis little variation in spring tension in the last 2 cm. closing range of the caliper. The height of the fold
represented the degree of skin looseness. The
presenceof excess fat in the skin probably made
the readings err on the low side, but it was not
believed this resulted in serious error.
2. Skin retraction time—The state of elasticity of the skin was found to be best measured
on the back of the hand. The hand and forearm were placed at rest on the table. Thecaliper was opened to 2 cm. (as measured on the
crossarm scale) and allowed to close on a fold
of skin several centimeters proximal to the
knuckles near the middle of the hand so that
the long axis of the fold was diagonal (45°) to
the longitudinal axis of the hand. (This was
done to avoid natural folds of skin.) Thecaliper was allowed to remain closed for exactly
60 seconds, then removed and the time for the
skin fold to retract back to the normal skin
contour was measured in seconds. The exact
endpoint was sometimes difficult to measure in
older people. and if the fold had not retracted
completely in 90 seconds, this time measurement was used.
A reliability test of the skin looseness and
skin retraction time was run on 20 hospital patients of various ages. Measurements taken with
the skin calipers were recorded by two examiners. The following mean values with their
only an occasional abnormality was scored as
1+, more abnormalities were scored ranging
up to 4+.
4. Graying of the hair—The degree of graying of the hair was expressed on a 0 — 4+
scale as follows: 0, no graying; 1+, slight “salt
and pepper”; 2+, moderate “salt and pepper”;
3+, nearly complete graying; and 4+, complete graying.
5. Baldness——Thedegree of baldness was expressed on a 0 — 4+ scale as follows: 0, no
apparent balding; 1+, slight receding of the
hair at the temples; 2+, marked receding of the
hair at the temples with some thinning; 3+,
marked thinning and baldness; and 4+, bald-
ness complete to a monk’s cap type.
6. Special senses——(a) Eyes.
(1) Accommodation. — Accommodation was
measured in diopters by use of the Prince refracting rule.* The average reading of the two
eyes was used.
(2) Visual acuity—Visual acuity was measured by Snellen’s test.* It was found that by
taking the square root of the average visual acuity (denominator) of the two eyes the scale
was more compressed and more linear. Thus
the best vision of 20/10 was represented at 3.2
(the square root of 10), the worst reading of
20/200 was represented as 14.1 (the square root
of 200), and intermediate readings similarly
recorded.
(3) Arcus senilis was estimated in the 0 —
4-- scale. Only slight limbic clouding was considered 1+ with increasing clouding to marked
clouding as 4+.
(b) Hearing.* — Audiometric examination
was carried out in a tent in a quiet location. A
rugged screening type audiometer was used.t
Impairment of hearing was averaged for the
two ears as follows: the decibel loss for each of
7 frequencies (200, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000,
standard deviations were obtained: for skin
looseness in millimeters. 20.85 + 0.71 and
20.90 = 0.70; for skin retraction time in sec-
7000) in each car was averaged and a mean
frequency loss in decibels for the two ears was
obtained.
no significant difference between the means of
Cardiovascular changes:
1. Blood pressure. — Systolic and diastolic
blood pressures were obtained with the stand-
onds, 58.2 + 8.13 and 58.75 + 8.18. There was
the two examiners. Prior to the test, the two
examiners ascertained that their techniques for
using the calipers were alike.
3. Senile changes in the skin.—The exposed
skin of the hands and face were observed for
the presence of senile changes such as keraloses. nevi, and pigmentation. The degree of
such change was estimated on a 0 — 4+ scale;
SUT Z TE
* With reeard to the reliability of determinations using the Prince
refracting ruic, Snellen’s test, and hearing acuity, it should be pointed
out that these tests were carried out under standardized conditions,
but in view of the necessity of using an interpreter under field conditions, it was‘not feasble to repeat the test by more than one
examiner. It is believed, however. that the data irom these tests were
sullicrently reproducible ta be ot relauve salue, althougn not so accurale perhaps as might be obtamed under more desirable conditions.
* The author ss erateful to the Armed Services Medical Procurement
Agence, Fort Totten, N.Y. for Joan cf the audiometer.