, 1884-08-19
OF ~SUNSTRoKE.
How to Distinguish 1t from Drunk
enness or Apoplexy.
Rxce.ses 10 Ee Avoided During the
Heated Term-rreatment OF
m Patient Aner .
stroke.


Ii is very important that everyone should
be able 10 mike out a case Of sunstroke
when it occurs and not mistake It for
drunkenness or apoplexy.
When n person is dead drunk his
countenance. breathing and pulse are very
like those Of u sunstruck case. Besides.
the person sunstruck may have taken a
glass Of beer OF = small amount of alcohol
in some form just before the attack. His
breath would. by its odor. be apt to
what might be "A fatal mis-
take. But the heat OF the body ought 10
prevent any such error. In drunkenness,
pure and simple, the heat OF the body Is
never above 9St degrees. often n little
less. In sanstroke It Is always in
creased. sometimes from 106 to los de
grecs, or ever more. Confinement in the
close and viiiated air of e cell ut the sta
ton house. or transportation n mile or
more In an open wagon exposed to the
direct rays OF the sun, may not kill the in
toxicated person, hui would probably
nay almost certninly-have that effect on
the unfortunate victim Of sunstroke.
In apopleNy. which has n superficial
resemblance TO one form Of sunstroke. the
skin Is never hot and excessively dry, but
Is often cold and moist; the pulse In apo
plexy Is slow, sometimes intermittent. gen
orally very full in sunstroke il Is quick
and sharp; in apoplexy there IS paralysis
on one side OF the face and body; In sun
stroke there is no difference between the
two sides; the breathing in apoplexy is
slow, snoring. and often interrupted or IT.
regular; in sunstroke il Is rapid and noisy,
but not snoring; In sunstroke 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 not early in the attack. These dis
tinctions are so plain that n mistake ought
not to be made.
Avoidance OF extraordinary muscular
effort. so far rs possible. Is first 10 be kept
in mind. A rise Of . degrees of temper.
ature above its natural limit of 98l degrees
has been observed in II man who ran a foot.
race. although the atmospheric heat was but
Gl degrees and lac was perspiring freely at
the time. Water should be drunk freely 10
supply the loss from the blood BY way OF
the skin. lungs and kidneys. This Is fully
as important rs avoidance OF excessive eK-
ereise. Excesses Of all kinds should be
carefully guarded against. Everything
that depresses the nervous system predis
posing 10 sunstrOke. excuses and loss of
sleep. particularly, should be kept clear of
during the heated term. Places where the
air Is close. damp or vitiateG by overcrowd-
ing or by reason of unhealthful exhala.
lions. should be carefully Stunned. The
skin should be kept clean and ia good
working order by frequent bathing The
clothing should be light Of texture and
pervious to moisture. 1t should not hinder
the free movements OF the chest in breath
ing or construct the neck. The food should
be mostly of vegetable substances, In order
10 throw rs little extra work upon the kid
neys as possible, This is especially
worthy of the attention of every one who
has Bright's disease or any disturbance Of
the functions of the kidneys.
The treatment of the attack is suf.
ficiently simple. No time should BIO lost
In removing the sufferer to ii cool, shady,
airy place. The outside clothing should be
removed. When practicable al the Gov
erings OF the body should be taken of.
The whole surface should be drenched
with cool water. Ice Is not necessary;
any water which Is cooler thar the body
will do. 1t fact water at from 60 10 so
degrees Fahrenheit is more speedy in its
refrigerating action than If ii 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. Evapora-
Ion from the surface should be
promoted by tanning or exposure
TO a natural current of air. Ii the pulse
becomes very feeble. irregular, or more
frequent than 100 per minute, stimulants
should be given, such as ammonia or
alcohol. If the patient can swallow, or
ether. coffee or brandy. by injection under
the skin. If commissions occur carly they
are not so dangerous as when they come on
after several hours, when they denote i'm
pending death. They may be controlled
by giving chloroform carefully by inhala-
ton. OF course. ether, chloroform or
other powerful remedies should be given
only by or under the direction OF compe-
tent physician. The treatment of the
aftereffects Of sunstroke may require
removal To a more temperate climate,
or the application Of remedies which should
be intrusted only 10 those who have made
q study of such matters.