The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-10-10
PRosTRATloN BY HEAT.
Common Causes and Treatment of Sum
stroke.

Common causes ana treatment OF sun
stroke.
Judging from the newspaper reports
Of few years ago as compared with
those of the last season or two, it would
seem as if there had been marked de-
crease in the number of sunstroke cases
in this city. While it is perhaps true
that there has been some improvement,
owing to the cooler dress and more SEN
sible habits of eating of many people,
there is another and a different explana-
ton of the apparent gain in this direc-
ton.
Until recently the word ''sunstroke"
has been used to cover q multitude OF
ailments to which it could not properly
lie applied. sThis is still true to large
extent among people in general, but
much greater care is now exercised in
the formal reports of cases OF sudden
illness in summer due directly or in
directly to the heat, but not necessarily
sunstroke on that account. Formerly
these were classed rather indiscrimi-
nately under the latter familiar head;
hence the long lists in the papers which
are not seen to-day.
Real sunstroke or "insoation," to use
the medical term, is a rare thing. At the
Hudson street hospital, which, OWING to
its location in a crowded part of the
downtown district, receives more cases
of the sort than any other in the city,
seven patients suffering from actual
sunstroke were received during the sum-
mer of 1895. Four have been treated
there thus far this season, two of them
within the last few days. AT the Cow
erneur hospital, on the East side. there
have been only two insulation cases
since the warm weather began. tits I'M
derstood, of course, that great numbers
of persons suffering more or less from
| tie effects of the heat are taken 10 the
hospitals every day. They feel faint and
| i'll. and the temperature rises perhaps
two or three degrees above normal, but
they are seldom in dangerous condi-
ton. They have, emphatically, not been
sunstruck, and by no means such vig-
| orous restorative methods are used up
on them as upon the real insulation pa
tents.
The condition of the latter is always
extremely critical. If the abnormally
high temperature of 40 or Ill degrees
to which their blood has been heated
cannot be speedily reduced they die
within "a hours after the beginning oil
the attack. The modern heroic treat
ment of plunging sunstroke persons in
t. an icy bath, heaping ice about the
neck and head, and giving them all tho
ice water they can drink when they
have partly recovered has been very sue
cessful So persistent is the fearful
heat of the body that this ice bath ha'
sometimes to be continued for hours
Occasionally, though not often. ii fail
to effect its purpose. Autopsies upoi
such patients have shown that the vita
organs were softened and in process o
being literally cooked by the intens
fire in the blood.
What is called, in a general way, hea
prostration is not uncommon. 1t ma,
result from being exposed to higl
temperature anywhere, whether fron
, the suns rays or not. As has been said
the symptoms are not dangerous, ant
though, if the patient is stricken out
doors, it is commonly said that he ha
had sunstroke, the doctors decide dit
ferently when he is brought befor
. them. People are frequently taken t
: the hospitals under the supposition tina
they have been overcome by the hea'
, when the real trouble is an attack of gas
, tritis, acute Indigestion or some othe
disease.
The causes which predispose to eithe
sunstroke or heat prostration are se'
+ eral. Too heavy clothing and careles
| habits of eating and drinking have
r great influence. One physician said
day or two ago that the abolition OF tn
free-lunch system had wrought
marked change for the better. The foo
offered on such counters, he said wa
: nearly always indigestible stuff, an
the beer taken with it in large quantitit
: was anything but desirable drink Il
y man who was to work all day undo
the hot sun. Alcoholic liquors in gel
eral are condemned in hot weather, III
n less taken in very limited amounts,
: having been proved that heavy drinl
s ers are far more liable than others
e heat prostration.
# But in the opinion of some physician
i lack of sleep is a more fruitful eau
e than any other of suffering from Il
heath. Y. Tribune.