Methods of measuring cutaneous moisture vaporization fall broadly into two categories, direct and indirect.Direct methods are those in which the moisture loss from a small area is measured by placing an inverted cup or capsule over that area. The capsules may be ventilated or unventilated. In the ventilated capsule the rate of evaporation is usually determined by passing dry air into the capsule and measuring the gain in weight of a moisture absorber through which the outlet air is passed, for a period of 5-20 min. McDowell, Lee & Fohrman (1954) criticized the use of dry inlet air, because with this the skin under test is exposed to abnormal atmospheric conditions. To overcome this they recirculated air round a closed circuit incorporating a capsule and an absorption bottle, the latter containing a saturated salt solution. The factors influencing the choice of air flow through ventilated capsules do not appear to have received enough attention. Air-flow rates appear to have been chosen to suit the absorbers used, with little consideration of the effect this variable may have on the rate of evaporation within the capsule.In the unventilated capsule air-flow rate is at least standardized, although at a level below that to which surrounding skin areas are exposed. Unventilated capsules normally contain a pad of desiccant material which is weighed at intervals. This method has been critically analysed by Randall, Peiss & Hertzman (1953), who showed that the quantity of desiccant used, and the distance between the desiccant and the skin surface, affected the observed rate of evaporation.A disadvantage common to most capsule methods is that the measurement of evaporation, since it depends on the gain in weight of an absorber, can be made only over periods of several minutes. Indirect methods are those in which cutaneous evaporation is calculated by difference from simultaneous measurements of total evaporation and respiratory evaporation. The hygrometric tent (Kibler & Yeck, 1959) is 27 Physiol. 167