[at-l] Cold Questions

[askowronek@mindspring.com (Amy)]

David wrote:


> I guess I'm asking what physiologists consider to be "objectively" cold or  

>dangerous vs what we may feel at any particular time . . .


Good question.  I'm glad I'm not one of those poor recruits
that got guinea pigged in the cold experiments.  Didn't the army
do that?  Or was it the nazis?  Or both?  (I'm not calling anybody
a nazi.  So don't go invoking Godwin's law on me.)

I grew up in relatively warm Maryland.  Then I moved to Minnesota
and spent six months working out of doors.  Then I moved back.
I often marvel at what a wuss I am now.  In Minnesota when
it got up to freezing we stripped down to sports bras to clean
stalls because we were so hot.  Here when it's freezing I put
on a fluffy down jacket, maybe some fleece underneath, long
underwear on my legs, and a hat, scarf, and gloves.  I mean,
I look like the Michelin Man.

I had to go to the bank one day after work back then, and I was wearing
a shirt and wool sweater, and hat and gloves.  I went and stood
in line and felt kind of hot.  The lady ahead of me was wearing
a floor length down coat.  She looked comfy.  It was very
contrasty.  It was probably 10 degrees out, and I'd been working
outside and she'd undoubtedly been working inside.  I'd love
to know how our bodies compared right then (internal working-wise.)

-amy in md