The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-18
The Chemistry Of SunstrOkes.

The effects Of the treatment Of sunstroke
are well understood in this country, where
the malady is one of frequent occurrence
more frequent, probably, in the hottest
months than in any other part of the world.
But the cause of the sunstroke is as yet q
mystery. The intense heat (merely as
heat) of the solar rays is not the agent Of
mischief. The human body may be eI-
posed to the Turkish bath of l40 degrees,
and remain in it an hour without injury.
This is much higher range Of heat than
that of the atmosphere at which sunstroke
most often occurs-viz., from 100 to ITO de-
grees lin the sun). Men working in zinc
furnaces or iron foundries are subjected to
a heat above 120 degrees, but they are not
prostrated to the ground with the pheno-
mena of the sunstroke. The human organ
ization is fitted to endure much higher
pitch Of heat than any we have named.
Experiments are recorded Of men sitting
quite comfortable in ovens while chickens
we're slowly browning by their side. How
does it happen, then, at temperature OF the
open air com paratively so low, men melt
away, as the popular saying is, with heat
The reason, we think, must be looked for
in the chemical character Of the sums rays.
The heat of the sun differs from every other
kind of heat, as the light Of the sun differs
from every other kind of light. This is o
fact so well known as to need no demonstra-
ton. The effect of the suns heat upon
plants-as contrasted with artificial heat
is the most familiar and perhaps the most
striking illustration at hand. All animate
and inanimate things ore subject to pre-
cisely the same great laws Of nature and
the solar heat, which makes the flowers
droop and close their petals as if to shut
out the dazzling rays, is not without its mar
vellous chemical effect upon the sensitive
brain of man. The effect, we say, is ehemi-
cal, just like the effect Of o poison. Strych-
nine, cyanide of potassium, arsenic, NOR
phine, and the other deadly drugs, do not
work more marked organic changes in the
system than sunstroke. The cOuntenance
Of the victim is dark -colored and injected
with blood, and post morten examination
discloses congestion of the brain, lungs,
and heart. These ore the effects, varying
in degree, of the administration of poisons.
The chances of recovery from poisoning ore
far better, if remedies are seasonably ap-
piled, than from sunstroke. The latter is
almost always lutsl WILL pSlnOL1G Va oSAlSotS
health or full habit.
This fact of the peculiar chemical action
of the SUMS rays upon the human system
being once appreciated, nothing is easier
than to escape sunstroke. Keep out of the
sun as much as possible. Do as the birds
and the beasts do-do as your intelligent
fellow-creatures do in Madrid, Havana, or
Pernambuco-stick to the shade as close ly
as you can during the hottest hours of our
summer days. But if your intense and
irrepressible Anglo-Sa1on nature must
drive you into the face of the sun, take an
umbrella with you as n shield, or put u
wet handkerchief, or cabbage leaf, or other
protection in your hat. Drink but little
ice-water, eat sparingly Of fat meats, take
daily baths, walk slow, talk slow, ges-
ticulate gently, avoid politics, and don't
get unduly excited about anything what
ever, as you value your life. This is an
oft-repeated tale. 1t is the sage advice Of
last year and the year before, and CEN
tury back of that. But while forty people
day are dropping on the pavements around
us, and dying in an hour or two, we will not
stand out for originality, but give the ven
erable counsel never known to fail. AS
to remedies, there is no improvement that
we are aware of on the old ones. The ap-
plication Of ice to the head and under the
arm-pits, brandy andswater or other stim-
ulants administered internally, mustard
plaster on the stomach, vigorous chatlng OF
the body, and especially the hands and
feet, tanning, and plenty of air-these are
restoratives ethcacious where anything Is
of avail.
But the great point is to avoid sun
stroke, and to give our readers few hints
to that end is the object Of this article.