The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-24
USE AND ABUSE OF ICE:
A Physician Furnishes Some Timely
Hints on the Subject.
rcracio1 Corraspapdenoa

A Physician Furnishes Some Timely
Hints on the Subject.
Especial Correspondence
NEWARK, N. j., Aug. 1S.-It is reason
able to suppose that if the people knew
more about the why and wherefore of the
use of ice to reduce the bodily tempera-
ture it's abuse would then cease and with
it the hundreds of fatalities that follow
every year carelessness in this regard.
We must understand, first, that the
normal temperature of the body is the
resultant between the amount of heat
produced in the organism and the
amount dissipated. This is governed by
the great heat regulating nerve centers
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
981l dogs. is maintained.
Now, there are two principal ways Of
abstracting heat from 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 be frozen. The other is by
bringing cold substance in contact
with warmer one. The colder body
abstracts the heat from the warmer.
The first of these is natures principal
method of cooling the body. But if, on
account Of the moisture in the air, evap-
Grafton of the perspiration does not go
on rapidly, the amount of heat taken
from the body does not keep pace with
the amount produced. We therefore in
stinctively make use of the second
method mentioned and pour large guam
titles of ice cold water into our stomachs.
Nature then makes 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
lies. The great heat regulating nerve
center, thus called upon suddenly to
equalize this violent abstraction of heat
at moment when it is under a great
strain trying to 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 it.
The result is breakdown almost the
same as in sunstroke.
This is the abuse of ice, and its proper
use is at once suggested. Have your
drinking water as cold as you wish, but
take it in small mouthfuls, and so grad
ually as 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. It
is because the eating of ice cream is
such a 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 demand of the
system for cold water, but merely for
water, to take the place of what has
been lost.
The knowledge that large amount of
blood is exposed to the air in the lungs,
and that about half as much water es-
capes there and is evaporated as by the
perspiration, also suggests the very
raIlona meCnod OF keeping 1ce III JIG
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 to reduce the tenn
perature during the heated term. The
wise man needs no further word of
warning. The man whorea but needs
not should expect the reward OF his in
difference.
JOSEPH M. WOODRUFF, M. D.