St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-30
SUNsTROKEs.
Their Causes, Symptoms, Preven-
tiOn and Their Cure.

| tiOn and Their Cure.
Dr.. Robe in Pittsburg Commercial
Gazette: An attack of sunstroke is
nearly always preceded by certain symp
| toms which should direct the individ-
ual's attention to the impending dam
ger. These symptoms are hot, dry
skin-the perspiration being checked
1dryness of the. mouth and throat,
| flushed face, suffusion of the eyes
and throbbing of the head. In some
cases there is slight delirium, in others
! a sense of weakness and confusion
| of thought, with alternate flush
ing and cooling of the face, such as
sometimes comes on after smoking a
strong cigar. The pulse is usually rapid
sometimes intermittent, and if the tenn
! perature of the body be measured with
the thermometer, it will he found sew
| eral degrees above 'blOOd heat" If no
attention is paid to these premOnitory
symptoms and exposure to the exciting
| cause continues, the "st1Oke" comes.
| The person suddenly falls to the ground,
| becomes unconscious and cOmatOse, or
| is attacked by frequent cOnvulsiOns.
The breathing is deep, slow and snOr-
ing; the pulse very rapid and the skin
dry and burning hot. In some cases,
| however, especially of that variety
| clasSed as ''heat-stroke," that is to say,
exposed to the rays of the sun, the
pulse is weak and the skin pale, cold
and moist. In these cases there is great
danger of paralysis of the heart, fol-
| lowing extreme exhaustion of the ner-
| vouS system.
The causes of sunstroke are excess
siyely high temperature, exhausting
physical labor. excessive indulgence in
alcoholic liquors and deprivation of wa
ter. Soldiers on march in hot weather
are very subject to sunStroke, especially
when suffering for want of water. In
| the federal army, during the late war,
there were 1900 cases of SunStrOke, but
owing probably to prompt attention
from the medical officers the mortality
was low. LabOrers working in confined
spaces, such as stevedOres, are fire.
quently Frustrated by heat stroke, and
a large proportion of these succumb to
the attack. Nothing is more firmly and
cOnclusively established in the whole
range of medical practice than that in
temperance is the most prominent and
fatal predisposing cause of sunStrOke.
A drunken man is not only much more
liable to be attacked, but he is almost
certain to die from the effects. All au-
OiiO1iOiCo oiC c1SiCCo upOh pOiuUs
The most efficient preventive measure
may therefore be declared to be the
avoidance of spirituOus liquors.
The means of prevention are already
indicated by consideration of the
causes. Exposure to high temperature
or excessive eXertion should be avoided.
This is, however, easier said than done
in most cases. Hence, whatever meas
ures will reduce the evil influence of
the above conditions must be adopted.
When exposed to the sun light, we'll
ventilated hat should be worn. A broad
brimmed straw probably answers the
cork helmet, as worn in the East Indies,
is also Serviceable, but Its unSightlineSs
will probably prevent its general use
in this country. A sponge or handker-
chief, wet with cold water, placed
in the hat. will keep the head
cool and produce general reduction of
temperature in the body. This is a
measure which should be adopted, es-
pecially by soldiers on the march. The
clothing should be loose and light, and
frequent bathing of the face, head and
arms will cOunteract the pernicious eff
fects of the high temperature. Plenty
of water internally is one of the best
preventives of sunstroke. 1t has been
found that soldiers, upon whom the
most accurate observations have been
made, succumb to the effects of heat
only after the supply of drinking water
is exhausted. So long as the canteens
are full SunStrOke does not occur in any
army.
In cases of sunStrOke competent
physician should be at once sent for.
But in the meanwhile the by-standerS
should not be idle. If the Individual is
Irnnnncninuc and hos q hot drU SIyin thn
clothing about the upper portion OF the
body should be opened and cold water
poured over him. If the water is poured
upon the head from height of several
feet the effect will be greater. So long
as the heat of the skin is excessive, the
cold effusion should be continued. Con-
vulSiOnS do not cOntra-indicate this
treatment. When the temperature of
the body bas become reduced in this
way and Inconsistencies still continues,
hot mustard poultices should be applied
be done at first in those cases in which
the skin is cold and moist and there
seems to be tendency to col
lapse. Ii the patient can swallow,
strong. hot coffee or tea may be
given in small quantities. taking care
not to Overburden the stomach and
cause vomiting. Whisky or brandy
should be given with great caution. In
extreme cases of depression table
spoonful of whisky, with teaspoonful
of aromatic spirits of ammonia, may be
the one thing needed to save life. but
the judgment required in deciding when
it shall be given is seldom found. Bleed
ing is rarely resOrted to in sunstroke at
the present day, and in the judgment of
the writer still more rarely required.
Some eases need it and some recover in
spite of it. Under all conditions it's en-
ployment should be left to the physician.
Finally, as in so many other diseases.
malady. Most persons who have suf-
fered from sunstrOke carry with them
through life some effects of the attack.
1t is always better. therefore, never to
have had a sunstroke than to have been