McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-07-17
SUNSTROKE.
Its Symptoms and its Treatment.

SUNSTROKE.
Its Symptoms and its Treatment.
81. Louis Globe Democrat.
1t is very important that everyone
should be able to make out a case OF
sunstroke when it occurs, and not mis-
take it for drunkenness or apoplexy.
When person is ''dead drunk" his
countenance, breathing and pulse are
very like those of sunstruck case. Be-
sides, the person sunstruck may have
taken glass of beer or small amount
of alcohol just before the attack. His
breath would, by its odor, be apt to
cause what might be a fatal mistake.
But the heat of the body ought to pre-
vent any such error. In drunkenness,
pure and simple, the heat of the body
is never above 963 degrees, often lit
tie less. In sunstroke it is always in
creased, sometimes from LOG to 10S de-
grees, or even more. Confinement in
the close and vitiated air of a cell at
the station house, or transportation in
an open wagon mile or more exposed
to the direct rays of the sun, may not
kill the intoxicated person, but would
probably-nay, almost certainIy-have
that effect onithe unfortunate victim of
Sunstroke-
In apoplexy, which has superficial
resemblance to one form of sun-stroke,
the skin is never hot and excessively
dry, but is often cold and moist; the
pulse in apoplexy is slow, sometimes
times intermittent, generally very full |;
in sun-stroke it is quick and sharp; in
apoplexy there is paralysis on one
side of the face and body; in sun-stroke
there is no difference in the two sides;
the breathing in apoplexy is slow,
snoring, and often interrupted and IT.
regular, In sun-stroke it is rapid and
noisy, but not snoring; in sun-stroke
both pupils of the eye are contracted
and the eyes look red and contested; in
apoplexy one or both pupils are widely
dilated, the eyes often turned upward
and toward one side; the whites of the
eyes are not Redeemed, at least early in
the attack. These distinctions are so
plain that a mistake ought not to be
made.
MEANS OF PREVENTION.
heprevention of sun-stroke is of very
great Importance, in view of the high
rate of mortality of its victims and the
serious after effects in those who re-
cover from the immediate symptoms.
A consideration of the conditions which
favor its occurrence gives the key to its
prevention. Avoidance of extraord-
mary muscular effort, so far as posi-
BILE, is first to keep in mind. A rise of
five degrees of temperature above its
natural limit of :984 degrees has been
discovered in a man who ran foot
race, although the atmospheric heat
was but 81 degrees and he was
prespiring freely at the time.
Water should be drank freely to
supply the loss from the blood by way
of the skin, lungs and kidneys. This Is
fully as important as avoidance of ex-
cessive exercise. Excuses of all kinds
should be carefully guarded against.
Everything that depresses the nervous
system predisposing to sunstroke, ex-
cesses and loss of sleep, particularly,
should be kept clear of during the
heated term. Places where the air is
close, damp or vitiated by overcrowd-
ing or by reason of unhealthful exhala-
tions, should be carefully stunned. The
skin should be kept clean and in good
working order by frequent bathing.
The clothing should be light of texture
and perviosls to moisture. 1t should
not hinder the free movements of the
chest in breathing or construct the neck.
The food should be mostly of vegetable
substances, in order to throw as little
extra work upon the kidneys as posi-
BILE. This is especially worthy of the
attention of every one who has Bright's
disease or any disturbance of the func-
tons of the kidneys.
TREATMENT.
The treatment of the attack is sufi-
GENTLY simple. No time should be lost
in removing the sufferer to a cool,
shady, airy place. The outside clothing
should be removed. When practicable
all the coverings of the body should be
taken off. The whole surface should be
drenched with cool water. Ice is not
necessary; any water which is cooler
than the body will do. In fact, water
at from so to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is
more speedy in its refrigerating action
than if it is ice cold. The amount of heat
removed by the change into vapor is
many times greater than the amount
used up in raising the same quantity
from the freezing to the boiling point.
Evaporation from the surface should be
promoted by tanning or exposure to a
natural current of air. If the pulse be-
comes very feeble, irregular, or more
frequent than 120 per minute, stimu-
lants should be given. such as ammonia
or alcohol, if the patient can swallow.
Or either coffee or brandy, by injection
under the SKIN. If commissions occur
early they are not SO dangerous as when
they come on after several hours, when