A long-term investigation was made on the physical load and fatigue of the farmers lasting three months in the spring and autumn of 1962. The farmers tested were divided into two groups, namely, one consisting of six families which cultivate mainly apples and the other of nine families which cultivate mainly rice (Tab.1). The flicker fusion frequency and the threshold of patellar reflex were examined on the farm once a week. The Donaggio reaction and the amount of creatinine and of uropepsin in the second urine in the morning were examined once a week as well. The results were as follows: (1) Daily calory consumption is less in the apple farmers than in the rice farmers, though daily working hours are longer in the former than in the latter, averaging ten hours and a half in the busiest week in June in the former (Tabs. 2, 3 and Fig.1). (2) The acute fatigue in the rice farmers at the rice-planting season is greater than in the apple farmers (from unpublished data), but the chronic fatigue throughout the spring is greater in the apple farmers than in the rice farmers (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8). That may be due to the fact that the apple cultivation requires longer daily hours and longer term of working, continuing to the begining of summer. (3) The fatigue in the spring is greater than in the autumn, and the fatigue in females is greater than that in males. (4) The flicker value in the apple farmers declines sharply as the daily working hours exceed nine hours (Fig.6). This fact shows that the optimum working hours in the apple farming is almost the same as that in many industrial works. (5) According to the results of tests on the urine and the blood (Figs.9, 10, 11 and Tab.4), it is concluded that physically stressed conditions continue more constantly in the apple farmers than in the rice farmers. These facts may be due to the difference of the nature of work in the both farmings. In the apple cultivation the sustained work is comparatively light and constant. (6) After all, the physiological loads in the apple farmers are heavier than in the rice farmers throughout the busy seasons.

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An investigation was made on the effects of aspartate and vitamin B₁ upon the fatigue in 75 apple cultivating farmers. These farmers were divided into three groups, to each member of which a tablet including 150 mg of K- and Mg-aspartate, a tablet including 5 mg of VB₁, and a tablet of placebo was respectively given every day. In some of them, the fatigue, subjective and objective, was estimated weekly; namely, the former was estimated by the questionnaire method and the latter by measuring body weight, physiological functions (flicker fusion frequency, threshold of patellar reflex, and blood pressure), Donaggio reaction and uropepsin during the farming season, May, June and July. In the other farmers, the subjective fatigue, body weight and blood pressure were measured once a month in the same season. The results were as follows: (1) The subjective fatigue in the group given aspartate and VB₁ tends to decline in the later period of the season (Figs.1 & 2). (2) The body weight decreases gradually through the farming period. However, the decrease in the aspartate group is lower than in the other groups (Fig.3, Tab.1). This fact suggests an anabolic effect of aspartate through activation of the adrenal gland. (3) The flicker fusion frequency increases and the threshold of patellar reflex decreases in the middle period, and these changes are more remarkable in the group of aspartate and VB₁ than in the placebo group. In the last period the flicker value decreases and the threshold value increases, and these changes are less in the former two groups than in the latter (Fig.5 and Tabs.2, 3). (4) Examinations of Donaggio reaction and uropepsin in the urine after the farming work revealed that the former tended to be lower in the VB₁ group and the latter lower in the aspartate group (Fig.6). (5) The blood pressure tends to decline monthly in the aspartate and the control group, but not in the VB₁ group (Fig.4). This tendency suggests that the seasonal variation of the physiological functions, including the blood pressure, is related not only to the variation of climate but of nutrition and other factors. These results show first that the aspartate and VB₁ lighten the chronic fatigue in the farming seasons. However, it is a question whether the subjects were deficient in VB₁ and the above effect of VB₁ on the VB₁ group was not pharmacological and positive but nutritional just supplying the deficiency. From this point of view, the effect of aspartate also should be further reexamined in the experimental conditions in which the nutritional requirements of VB₁ in the subjects have certainly been fulfiled.

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Descent from high altitude no doubt produces a great stress which may be expressd as subjective symptoms of fear and anxiety. In this experiment the human responses to the parachute descent from a tower were studied from the aspects of the function of concentration maintenance, autonomic nervous balance and other physiological functions. In addition, it was discussed whether the TAF-test is useful for evaluating the aptitude for the paratrooper, of whom high ability in controlling and maintaining the interior environment is required. Paratroopers, 17 in number, were examined by the following tests, and the values obtained before and after the parachute descent from a tower of 80 meters in height were compared. The tests were TAF, swing degree in cold pressure test (CPT-SwD), flicker frequency (FF) and esthesiometry (Es), in combination with an inquiry into subjective symptoms (Sub. Symp.)and time study. The results were discussed in relation to the data of psychological examinations at the time of selection of paratroopers. The results obtained were as follows: 1) Stress due to the parachute descent was observed as a significant lowering of the function of concentration maintenance. 2) Values of TAF-L and CPT-SwD were significantly smaller in the group excellent in jumping technique than in the group not so excellent. 3) There was a significant correlation between the intelligence quotient and TAF-L as well as between TAF-L and the working speed. These studies revealed that the TAF-test can indicate the degree of the stress due to the parachute descent reasonably and suggested that it may be one of the useful methods for evaluating the aptitude of paratroopers.

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A new Swedish glass wool ear protector was checked for its practical use. Sound attenuation of this kind of ear protector corresponds to that Type-1 of the Japan Industrial Standard. But the distribution of this sound attenuation was found to be larger than that of the Rohken Type ear protector. It means that more carefulness is necessary in wearing the glass wool ear protector than in the case of that of the Rohken Type. Other characteristics are that comfort in wearing it is excellent and its fitness to the ear cannal is also good. Hygienically, glass wool keeps the ear cannal clean, except that hazard of causing dermatitis by its fibres is still remaining. Economically, the glass wool protector is more expensive than others in Japan. As a conclusion, the Swedish glass wool ear protector has still some problems to be solved for practical use, but its excellent sound attenuation and comfortability in wearing are so attractive as a new ear protector, that an improvement or a developement is hopeful.

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