The last decade has seen a revival of interest in the subject of vital capacity as a diagnostic and prognostic measure. This interest has been accompanied by an increased output of literature on the subject, much of which has been of practical as well as of scientific value. This paper presents the results of a study of the vital capacity of Chinese students similar socially to the American groups studied by Hastings,1 Baldwin,2 Hitchcock3 and others. The results may be directly compared with analogous American data.
A comprehensive review of the literature on vital capacity was presented by Dr. J. A. Myers4 in the excellent monograph, "Vital Capacity of the Lungs." Hence I shall dispense with a historical discussion of the study of vital capacity and with a review of the literature in this paper and proceed to the subject indicated in the title. This study was made during the