The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-24
SUNSTROKE.
PLAINRULES WHICH WILL KEEP
YOU OUT OF DANGER.
Wear Light Clothing and Don't Hurry
drinking Iced Liquids-How
to Treat a Person Who
Has Been Frustrated.

1t is the easiest thing in the world to
avoid sunstroke or heat prostration dur
ing the warm, humid days, if you will
only exercise little care and judgment
and observe a few very simple rules.
In the first place wear the lightest fan
nels and the airiest clothing in your ward
robe, and don't be in hurry.
Persons of an excitable temperament
are more liable to sunstroke than those
of more phleematic disposition. So it
is with those who have helrt trouble, and
it is we'll for them to bear in mind that it
is exceedingly dangerous for them to be
affected by the heat. Sunstroke causes
a change in the blood by robbing it of
its power to take up oxygen, which, as
everybody knows, is the very essential
of life. Soon the blood becomes
saturated with carbonic acid, and unless
this is quickly removed death must en-
sue. With the heart function already
interfered with, no matter how slightly,
heat stroke, as it is more properly desig-
mated, becomes very serious matter.
The same is so in the case of stout
people, who, as rule, are more liable to
suffer from the heat than others.
Some care should be exercised in the
character and quantity of food and drink
taken. 1t is not by any means necessary
to change ones mode of living, but at
the same time heavy, heat-giving articles
of food, that take long time to digest,
if not altogether abjured ought at least
to be partaken of sparingly. This GER
tainly does not infict a hardship upon
anybody, for in nine cases out of ten the
craving for oils, fat and such articles of
food is entirely absent in the summer
time and simply because the system docs
not require them.
Much misery and suffering may be
avoided by learning to drink slowly. AS
the skin is apt to act freely it is necessary
to keep the body supplied with liquid.
Most people are possessed of the errc-
neous idea that the sensation of thirst IS
located somewhere in the stomach, and
hence it is that they keep on drinking
until they can hold no more. The work
of throwing off this unnecessary guam
tity of liquid falls upon the skin and
other glands, which are apt to become
paralyzed in their action as soon as the
slightest tendency to hea- 2rostration
manifests itself.
Bear in mind that thirst is located in
the throat, directly behind the tongue.
This can be demonstrated by anybody
who will 60 to the trouble of slipping
glass of water instead of gulping it down.
In this way it will soon become apparent
that half glass of water will as effectu-
ally ouench thirst as half dozen glasses,
and, what is more, without producing
the sensation of fullness, which is so an-
noying on warm day.
Once having learned how to drink ju-
diciously, half the danger from heat
prostratlon IS overcome.
Cooling drinks should be freely par
taken of in the manner above indicated,
but bear in mind that suddenly chilling
the blood with very cold, iced fluids is
an extremely hazardous proceeding.
Have the water and other drinks moder-
ately cold, and besides being safer to
take they also become more palatable.
By paying but trifing attention to
these rules, sleep on warm night be-
comes natural, and this alone is half the
safeguard against heat prostration, for
there is nothing so invigorating and re-
freshing as good nights rest.
Now, word about how to assist a
person who has been prostrated by the
heat when q doctor is not near at hand.
The very first thing to do is to remove
the sufferer to shady spot and loosen
all the clothing. To get rid of the car
bonic acid in the blood keep the limbs
in motion, not violently, and thus induce
freer respiration.
A tendency, however slight, to return.
ing consciousness is always hopeful
sign, for it indicates that the brain is
receiving supply of healthful blood.
Apply cold cloths to the head and along
the back of the neck. Sometimes, when
the patients hair is very thick, it is we'll
to shave off part of it and place the
cloths directly in contact with the scalp.
If the feet are cold apply hot bricks
and administer stimulants, such as brandy
and water, in small quantities at frequent
intervals. This is about all that can be
done in the first stage of prostration, and
it will generally suffice, for by this time
the doctor will be on hand to take care
of the secondary symptoms of heatstroke.
-NeW York World.