The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-08-27
USE AND ABUSE or ICE.
A Physician Furnishes some Timely
Hints on the Subject.
ISnCpial ;prrpsponGnp,a

Special Correspondence
NEWARK. Y. j.. Aug. -. 1t is reason
able TO suppose that ii the people knew
more about the whyand wherefore of the
use Of ice TO reduce the bodily tempera-
lt.re It's abuse would then cease and with
it the hundreds of fatalities that follow
every year careles,ness in this regard.
We must understand. first. that the
normal temperature Of the body i the
resultant between the amount of heat
produced in the organism and thu
amount dissipated. This Is governed BY
the great hear regulating nerve centcr>
in the brain. whose duty it is SO To con
troll the circulation that by a proper
mingling Of the blood Of different tenn
peratures from various parts of the
body an average of the whole at about
$751; dogs. is maintained.
Now, there are two principal ways Of
abstracting heat from II body--in other
words. of cooling it. One is by evapo-
ration. which is the means used in the
manufacture of artificial ice. where rap
idly evaporating fluids are placed around
the water to he frozen. The other Is by
blllSlHS u ,blu SubSidi'' III contact
with IA warmer one. The colder body
abstracts the heat from the warmer.
The first of these j. natures principal
method of cooling the body. But if. ON
account of the moisture III the air, evap-
Grafton of the perspiration does not go
on rapidly, the mount of heat taken
from the body does moi keep pace with
,hn ,r,n,Int prt,tt,.,l Wa tharaFnra II,
stinctively make use of the second
method mentioned and pour large guam
titles of ice cold waite" into our stOmachS.
Nature tnen makes a desperate attempt
to equaliZe the heat of these parts by its
withdrawal from others by means of the
blood. and here is where the trouble
hes. The great heat regulating nerve
center, thus called upon suddenly to
cuuali2e this violent abstraction of heat
at IA moment when it is under "A great
strain trying 10 restore the loss of bal
ance caused by the stoppage of evapOra-
ton at the surface. has the strain in
creased when it is least able TO bear il.
The result is a breakdown almost the
same as in sunstroke.
This is the abuse Of ice, and its proper
use is at once suggested. Hav, your
drinking water as cold rs You wish, but
take it in small mouthfuls, and so grad
ually rs not to put any possible strain
upon the heat regulating centers. In
this way, instead Of being demoralized
| they will be relieved in great measure
of the strain put upon them by the fail
ure of the perspiration to evaporate, and
! good rather than harm will result. 1t
is because the eating of ice cream is
such II gradual introduction of cold into
the stomach that it does no harm. 1t
rather stimulates digestion by bringing
more blood to the parts.
Another point suggested here is the
fact that thirst is not Il demand of the
system for cold water, but merely for
water, to take the place of what has
been lost.
The knowledge that IA large amount OF
blood is exposed to the air in the lungs,
and that about half AS much water es-
perspiration. also suggests the very
rational method of keeping ice in the
mouth and so cooling the blood by re-
ducing the temperature of the air which
enters the lungs.
These points make plain where the
abuse lies, and point to the right and
reasonable Use of ice 10 reduce the tenn
p%erature during the heated term. The
wise man needs no further word of
warning. The man who reads but needs
not should expect the reward Of his in
difference.
JOSEPH M. WOODRUFF, NJ. ID.