Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-07-03
nov 10 TREAT VI crIMs or HE1r.
leo Baths Arc Commonly Used. and They
Are Effective.


leo Baths Arc Commonly Used. and They
Are Effective.
Baltimore American.
With the sort Of weather that usually,
prevails at this season there are daily
reports of heat prostration. Compare
lively few of the men who are picked
up in an unconscious condition on the
street and hurried to hospitals have
sunstroke. These are, for the most
part, cases of heat prostration, but
usually this prostitution is superinduced
by some other cause than excessive
temperature.
There are two classes of heat cases.
In the first the victims are alcoholics,
who are in debilitated condition and
are, therefore, very susceptible to pros
tration, especially il they are compelled
to remain for any length of time in the
hot sun. Then, there are the genuine
cases of sunstroke, the victims fire.
quently big persons of robust con-
situations and regular habits. These
patients do not respond so readily to
treatment as alcoholics.
Whenever a man is found unconscious
on the street at this time of the year
it is assumed that he is suffering from
heat prostration, and if medical aid is
hOb Nv Adlu no 10 uuuobu Will
water. This may or may not be the
best treatment, as frequently the victim
may be suffering with epilepsy, uraemia
or some one of dozen disorders. If it
is heat case, cold water or ice applied
to the head and face is the best treat
ment, pending the arrival of an ambu-
lance.
at does not require an examination
by physician to determine case of
heat prostration. II the victim breathes
heavily, with an accelerated .respira-
tion; if the face becomes purple-col
| and commissions OCCUR at intervals, il
| is safe to assume that he is suffering
| from heat prostitution, and the sooner
he is hurried to a hospital or some
| other place where proper treatment
may be administered the better.
The hospitals make special arrange
ments for the treatment of these cases.
Buckets of ice are carried in the
ambulances, and as soon as the patient
is placed in the vehicle he is stripped
of the greater part of his clothing and
rubbed with ice while being conveyed
to the hospital.
Persons who sleep in cool rooms are
usually able to ward off heat prostra-
| tion. A careful observation shows that
/ III hOdllJ ofOtl hCdb Cd5c VIC NlCbAlliy
after working all day in the sun rays,
was compelled to sleep in a hot, stuffy
room. An increase in the number of
cases follows long spell of hot day Is
and nights, and a corresponding de-
crease follows one or two intervening
cool nights.
In cases of sunstroke the temperature
ranges from log to 112 degrees. If it
should remain at or above 100 degrees
for more than an hour it is apt to
result fatally. The object, naturally,
is to reduce the temperature as soon as
possible, and for this reason ice has be-
come the sovereign remedy in the treat
ment of heat cases. Some physicians
advocate bleeding and the injection of
normal saline solution in tothe blood !;
but the majority pin their faith to ice.
As soon as possible after the dis
covery of the patient he is immersed in
an ice bath, the temperature of the
water having been reduced to about
60 degrees. Frequently he is kept in
the bath 20 to 80 minutes before the
desired result is obtained. Naturally,
if the temperature is above log degrees
the contact of the body with water at a
violent commissions, and after being
taken from the bath the patient is
strapped to his cot and the application
of ice to the head is continued for
some time
In the case of alcoholics, strychnia,
whisky, ammonia and other stimulants
are given to the patient; but in cases
of sunstroke not superinduced by
alcohol the treatment is confined
almost exclusively to external applica-
tions of leo and cold water.