Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-15
NATURES WARNING.
The prcmoni:ory symptoms Of Sum
stroke should Not lie Disregsrdcd.
OTrom tho New York Hora

O'rom tho New York Horald)
In former Herald editorial on the
prevention OF sunstrokc reference was
made to the limit of endurance of tho
suns rays. which was so different in diff
erent individuals and which limit was
mostly discovered when It was too late
to repent of the foolish risk.
In the popular mind this very sudden
ness of the heat stroke appears To forbid
any previous warning of its coming. This
view, however is So erroneous in the
majority of instances that one cannot he
too careful IN noting some Of tho early
signs of danger and the various physical
conditions of the individual which make
such premonitions significant and impor-
tant.
1t is not fair to assume that every vie
tim Of heat exhaustion has been ncces-
sarily foolhardv in exposing himself UNI
necessarily, but. on tn" contrary, that he
has not properly interpreted the threaten
ing symptoms of a seizure. To he on tho
alert for the first signs of danger is to
he on the side Of safety, as otherwise
there is reasonably sure tendency for
such apparently trivial symptoms to rap
idly eliminate in others Of gravest I'M
tome In their order of occurrence and in
their relative importance as bearing on
each other.
In the beSnninE there is feeling of
general exhaustion, most often centered
in the stomach and quite graphically OK
pressed as one of "goneness"-an other
wise indcscrihable sensation Of emptiness
and weakness in that region. Associat ed
with this Is n sense OF oppression owe,
the chest. ms from a weight and more or
less difficulty oe breathing in the cffor
10 ill the lungs properly. Concident WITH
this distressing symptom are a hot anC
dry skin. elevated temperature. ma rlScd
palpitatlo rapid and 1uttering pulse
beat and still more hurried respiration
Altogether It would hc described as ar
impending faint. although it means very
much more In the end.
Very often a this stage come dizziness
uncertain, tottcring gait, double vision
| distorted visual images and variecatet
color perception. These are always ON
| inously dangerous signs. Especially wher
! accompanied with severe pain In tbs
| head. Often, too. there is vomiting a
this stage and not infrcquently convul
| sivn movements. which finally merge int
the insensibllty which marks well dc
veloped case Of sunstroko in which the
| brain and nervous Centors have receive
| the full force of the blow.
| Now. how to guard against and NEE
these conditions? The armng against the
| enemy must come with the forewarning
| Naturally the weak ones must stay in
| doors or take to the woods The one gu
Of sorts must he moro than careful
| Tho poorest preparation is after OK
! haustine work, after hot and slecnlcs
night, a srant breakfast on weak and
dyspeptic stomach. "Charley," says th'
| wife 'you are not feeling well. and why
tempt your fate in the hcat?" II onl!
| Charley would listen.
| But If the worst threatens there Is still
time to ward off the stroke. At the frs
sign Of any OF the premonitory symptom
the individual must stop and ask for help
| get at once into the shade, lie down
| loosen clothing, have Ice applied to TN
head. he famed and II possible obtain
diffusihlc stimulant. Aside from thi
| nothing helps more than darkened an,
cool room and n quiet and tudicious re
sort to restorative measures. Many NJ
can he saved by such timely measure
! even when a hospital is not within cas-,
| reach.