The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-29
TO AVOID EVIL EFFECTS OF HEAT.
Why Extreme Temperatures Are Not
Often Fatal.
The Body Should be Ventilated, Which
Allows Free Evaporation of
Its Moisture.

of the climate of California, OF its sum
shine, its rainfall, its temperature and OF
all phases of the weather, but seldom is
anything said of the effect of the heat in
California. 1t is we'll known that on ac-
count OF its long sea coast, its mountain
ranges and its latitude, within the con-
fines of the Stale may be found any eli
mate that may be desired. The snow
capped and higher mountain regions have
temperatures equal to the Arctic region;
the plains and valleys, especially OF the
southern portion, have temperatures at
times of the Torrid Zone. The greater
portion of the State has pleasant mean
between tile two, while the imm ediate
coast has climate free from heat and
tree from cold.
over the great valleys of the Sacra-
mento and san Joaquin, and over that
large area OF the State removed from the
Immediate coast and south OF the Ie-
hacnapl Mountains, maximum temper
atures OF from 1867 10 llS' are experienced
during tae summer months, and as high
as 122' has been recorded in Death Valley
III } uly. These abnOrmally high tenn
peratureS are sufficient to Kill a human
being, and would Kill if it were not for
the safeguards with which nature has
provl0 ed all forms of life.
The temperatures noted are from
" Gather Bureau records and show the
temperature OF the air, the thermometer
being i'll the shude in a standard Their
mometer shelter The reason that these
temperatures do not kill is that while the
degree OF heat noted IS that which is
actually recorded, duo to causes which
will be explained, that which is known
as the sensible temperature is about 4Oo
less. dependent upon the amount of
moisture IN the air, and 1t Is this sensible
temperature which affects life.
by sensible temperature IS meant
that which is felt at the surface of the
skin, where the skin is exposed as on the
face or hands. The body when in a
healthy state is constantly furnishing
moisture to the skin, which in cases eX-
udes and stands in drops, or as they are
called, beads OF perspiration.' This
moisture is evaporsted by the air, and
hence the cooling of the skin. The cool
ing effects OF the evaporation is the safe
guard against injurious effects by eX
treme heat. This cooling of the skin
then subjects the body to the direct effect
of the sensible temperature. This tenn
perature Is obtained from what is known
AS the wet bulb thermometer, i. g., Their
mometer having its bulb incased in
piece OF muslin to which is attached q
cup Of water, by The capillarity Of the
cotton wicking the bulb is kept mois-
tened, hence It's name. wet bulb Their
mOmeter.
n, dependent upon the dryness of the air
does the evaporation from the wet bulb
ensue, and the temperature shown by the
wet bulb thermometer is the sensible
temperature. For example, at San Fran
cisco on June %, 1891, a temperature OF
IU)O was rQpOrdpd at The Samp tiutp rho
wet bulb thermometer showed q temper
ature OF 81. While the air surrounding
the body had temperature of lOO0, yet
the air being dry, and evaporation from
the body being great; the body or the
blood of the body was subjected to tenn
perature of but go. This of course to a
person in normal health, and in the
the liquid to the :vapor condition,
q certain quantity of heat is util-
lied, which, on evaporation, is changed
TO latent heat and is thus no longer SEN
sible. A feeling OF GOODNESS therefore re-
suits from the change and as long as
evaporation continues the surface where
it takes place is cooler than the general
temperature of the surrounding air.
When one is heated fan is used 10 give
relief and make comfortable. The motion
OF the ian causes u more rapid movement
OF the air; this air moved by the fan
against the face has the same temperature
as that which is not SO disturbed.
Tho cooling effect comes from the
more rapid movement Of the air produced
by the motions of the fan, which causes
more rapid evaporation of the moisture
OH the face and exposed portions of the
body. hence more rapid cooling effect
and the emperature of the air felt by the
face under the influence OF the tanning is
the sensible temperature.
The months from June to Septem Der
are the Warmest months of the year, and
the record OF the past five years have
been used TO dod uce the following: a long
the coast line from san Francisco north
the average maximum temperature dur
ing summer is % and tue sensible tenn
psrature is 90. South OF san Francisco
along the coast lins The average maxi
mum temperature is 700 and the sensible
Temperature is 81. In the Sacramento
Valley the average maximum tempera-
ture is 81 Z; the average sensi Die tempera-
ture is To-. In the san Jcaquin Valley
the average maximum temperature is 80;
the average sensible temperature is go.
south OF the Tebachapi Mountains and
over South western Arizona, the average
maximum temperature is 1922, and the
average sensible temperature is 100.
80 it is seen that during the summer
months, while the average maximum
IL cACSpt dlOUR Inc
coast, the average sensible temperature is
below 90 along the coast and from go to
40 III the interior. The average maxi
mum and average minimum sensible
temperatures over California during the
summer are from go to To along the
| coast and from Sc TO 650 in the interior.
The highest temperatures on record at
San Francisco during the months from
June to September, inclusive, average
| axe 1ybila tho sGnslhia no I'm
the same days average go. AT Red Bluff
the average highest is liz, and the YER
age sensible 10. At Fresno average
| highest, 10; average sensible, 6So, and at
Yuma the average highest is ll6o and the
average sensible temperature at time of
highest air temperature is 730.
These inparisons show that the SON.
81 bic temperature is on an average from
230 TO 400 lower than the average maxi
mum temperature, and that on the ex-
tremely warm days the sensible temporal
ture IS from 80 to 420 lower than the ex-