Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-06-07
TREATMENT OF suN.srRokE.


TREATMENT OF SUN.STROkE
American Physician.
In his opening remarks DR.. Mitchell
said: There are tive distinct vari-
cites of sun-stroke. but we recognize
one. the common, which takes the
form of an intense fever. The other
presents exactly the opposite condi-
ton, though arising from the same
cause. 1t is called hea. exhaustion.
This condition is essentially the same
as that called collapse. 1t attacks
strong and weak indiscriminately.
The attack is generally sudden. and
with little or no warning the patient
becomes unconscious. incapable of
speech or movement. or muttcrs in in
coherent phrases; he is pale, is skin is
cold to the touch and covered with a
profuse cold sweat. Even his breath
feels cold to e hand held lcfore his
mouth. His pulse at the wrist is very
fast and feeble and he can not be
reused enough to reply inteliigently.
The situation is almost the exact con-
trary of that in sun-ssroke proper. as we
frequently see. hence the treatment
must be different. 1t is easy to see
what is needed. The patient is too
cold. the natural heat Of the body
which is the condition of the pro-
per working of all the functions
is lost. and first we must restore
that. Put him in hot bath to help
bring back the normal heat by exter-
nal warmth. Let the water be of atem-
pera;ure of 100 degrees or more. and
and keep the water at this temperature
by pouring in more hot water. Keep
him there until his own temperature
has been restored to its natural stand
ard. which is 9S4 degrees If you have
no means 10 ascertain the patients
temperature let him remain in the
water for about half an hour. unless he
becomes conscious and intelligent
sooner. Secondly. his heart is too
fast and not strong enough and some
thing must be given to strengthen it.
tlc hlOSi tlCIC stlSO-
hol. whisky or brandy. Give a table
spoonful in about as much water and
repeat it about three times at short in
tervalS.
"Thermic fever" or heat fever"
is always from exposure to heat in some
form. The principal sufferers are those
who use strong drink, habitually,
white men more than negroes, and men
more than women. The varieties of
thermic fever differ in degree, but not
much in kind. They range from severe
headaches or dizziness to intlamma-
ton of the brain itself. with convul-
sions and death in its train. The mind
confused, more or less headache with
some fever. all of these are the ordi-
nary symptoms of these slight sun
strokes. and they may be treated as l
have suggested. giving, too. little
bromide of potash, about twenty or
twenty-five grains.
Most cases are more marked. The
face is greatly flushed. eyes bloodshot.
breathing deep and noisy. the pulse
very fast and commissions often accom-
panying the attack. This last is the
most important sign. The patient
should be rubbed down with ice and
cold water should be poured over
him until his temperature is reduced
to 100 degrees. when he should be put
to bed.
Apoplexy or epileptic fits, often
mistaken for sunstroke, are generally
without commissions and without fever.
Opium poisoning comes on slowly and
when found the patients eyes are
shrunken. the breathing is remarkably
slow, with long. deep respirations,
and they have often to be treated in
the most brutal manner-rubbed with
wire brush or whipped with wet
towel to keep them moving so as to
keep up breathing.
To avoid sun-strOke, avoid eating
very much meat. eat plenty of vege-
tables. keep the skin clean. battle fire.
quently and keep as cool as possible.
PHILADELPHIA Press.