Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-13

The methods Used in Qespllals when
Patients Are Overcome y Heat.

the cause OF rev serious SunStrOkes
and a much larger number OF Heat pros.
trations, has recalled the terrible veathe,
in August of last year. when sunstroke
became for time veritable epidemic
says the New York Tribune. Every sea.
son sees a few changes in the method Of
treating victims of extreme heat. AS a
rule these are In the nature OF Improved
appliances, and are not radical depart
ures from the general principle of EN-
ploying cold at once in some form to re-
duce the tempera lure OF the body For
extreme cases the ice bath offers the only
chance of restoration. This has often
been described. and 1t consists briefly OF
placing the patient In tub filled with
water and ice. Cakes. OF the ice. are
packed about the body at the parts
which it is most eflicaclous to cool. such
as the neck, the head. and wherever
large arteries run near the surface. Con-
slant friction is kept up meanwhile by
vigorous rubbing of the skin OF the en-
tire body. Without this stimulating ac-
ton the shock of the sudden cold would
probably kill the patient. There can be
no specified limit to the duration of the
bath, because 1t must be kept up in each
case until the victims temperature has
begun to fall considerably and steadily.
Sometimes this requires several hours,
ard frequently in the worst cases there
is no result from the labor. the intense
heat Of the body-tissuesf defying all at
temptS to reduce 1t by artificial cold.
The best arrangement in the city for
giving the ice bath is that at the Hudson
street hospital By means of pulleys and
Il complete lifting apparatus, the patient
is lowered in hammock into the tub be-
how. The mechanism admits of moving
the body sidewise as well as vertically,
ana saves the fatiguing labor of lifting
and moving by hand. Last summer the
ice and water were put directly into the
Tub where it Stood and though when the
extreme amount of cold is required this
will probably have to be done again in
the same way, there is a new arrange
ment which will serve in many cases. A
large tank will be placed on the roof of
the building, and when IA case arrives this
will be filled with ice and water. A pipe
will lead directly down into the basement
where the ice bath apparatus is, and the
height will afford sufficient power to in
duce IA strong flow of water 1t is then
croton. because the majority of heat
DroStration cases require nothing more
than an ordinary cold bath. with perhaps
an application of ice to the head and
neck. The plan of spraying the patient
which has been found remarkably effec-
tive, will also be adopted, being rendered
possible by the pipe arrangement from
the roof. r.
A physician of this city who has had
unusual opportunities for observing sun
stroke. and has made a special study of
the subject said last week to a Tribune
reporter:
1.-The difference between 'sunstroke, or
insulation. and heat prostration is not
one of kind; it is only one of degree. The
treatment varies according to the sever
ity of the case. In the mildest form of
heat prostration there Is a feeling of dir
illness and weakness and the Temporal
ture goes up perhaps three or four de-
grees. The patient ought to lie down in
a cool place; have cold applied TO the
head. and 1t is we'll to take u cold bath
When the temperature rises to LOG or lO7
degrees there is a go ID deal of danger
and the patient is frequently unconscious,
but the ice bath will usually bring him
around. Temperatures above that rang
ing from los to 10 or Ill degrees. indicate
cases which require the most desperate
re NEEDLES. The victim is always uncOn-
scous at 100 degrees or over, though
sometimes the shock of being placed in
the ice bath will restore to consciousness
even at 100 degrees. 1t has always been
thought that no one could live whose
temperature had once risen to 112 or 113
degrees, but there was an instance last
summer of a man who-recovered after
having reached the extraordinary heat of
10 degrees. To show how high the tenn
last year of a patient who reached HIS
degrees. He died six hours after being
paced In the Bath.
I'm severe cases of sunstroke the blood
actually disintegrates. The waste secre-
tions of the body are not thrown Off in
the natural manner. and they accumulate
to poison the system. There takes place
what we call iauto-intoxica ton self
poisoning. This, of couFse, is caused by
the heat, but there are Certain conditions
which predspose to L. Drinking sllco-
hole liquors is the chitf of these. The
vast majority of the persons l treated
last summer had, by drinking too much
beer or whiskey. put SeRSfsyste into a
extreme heat. Sleeplessness is another
predisposing cause. The sufferer from
the heat who loses his sleep for two or
three nights and continues to work in
high temperature cannot stand nearly so
much exposure as one who has his regu-
lar rest. Then. again. people do not dress
as sensibly as they might in hot weat Their.
ht-colored, thin clothes are the best.
and the looser they are the better.
1t Is not only exposure to the sun that
Is to be feared. Frequently the most
dangerous spot is a place which gets no
sun, but in which the hot air has become
vitiated and foul. Many of the worst
sunstrokes occur after dark. in close
rooms" 81 =
When asked whether stimulants should
be given to a sunstruck person, the doc
tor said:
Yes. it is usually necessary to give
something of the kind to force the circu-
lation when the patient is in the bath.
Alcohol and ether are used. and other
things designed especially to stimulate
the heart. The bodily functions must be
Hiitue 10 20 on somehow until the patient
RECEIVERS something like his normal tone
An important point to remember in
hot weather is to keep the digestion right
If a person eats properly and has no
trouble with his stomach he has a great
assurance of safety from heat prostra-
ton. He should perspire freely. for that
is a great relief to the system The
complete stoppago of perspiration Is one
of the symptoms of sunstroke."
The society for the Prevention of Cruel
ty to Animals makes special prepa ra tons
in order to care for the. poor beasts who
succumb to the summer heat. All stray
dogs and cats are taken out of the streets
and placed in the society's shelter The
employees of the s. p. c. \. do all they
can to discourage mad dog "scares,''
acting upon the present well-esta blished
fact that very few of the so-called 'mad"
dogs are really suffering from rabies In
most cases it is merely an ordinary fit
and the dog, if allowed to run into some
quiet hiding-place, Will come out of it all
right in time Until he has been chased
and tormented. he shows no desire to
bite.
The large horse ambulances are fitted
u3 with awnings and mattresses. so that
the poor animal may be made comfort
able wherever he may have fallen in the
street The method pursued is to take
him out of harness. let him lie down and
sponge him all over with cold water. If
the sunstroke is not tob. severe, this will
bring him round in time. Drivers fire.
quently apply to the society for informa-
ton regarding the treatment of horses in
hat t1,t DC