The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-30
PAYS TO AVOID SUNSTROKE
SUMNER DANGER INTO WHICH
AMERICANS RUSH.

eunstroke and twice or thrice as many more
are permanently affected by il. Its effect
at it's mildest is observed as a recurring
headache. partial deafness or some minor
but chronic and annoying ailment. At its
worst il is manifested as paralysis, epilepsy,
meningitis, insanity or some serious func-
tional' disorder OF the heart. Therefore II
il plain that a sunstroke. even when il
does not kill out OF hand, is a very danger
GUS thing and that it pays to take elaborate
precautions TO avoid 1t.
Among laymen sunstroke is often con-
fused with simple heat exhaustion, but in
reality they differ very much. In the
latter the temperature Of the patient falls
below normal and he is pale. in the former
his temperature rises rapidly and he is
flushed.
There are other differences, too. but
those noted will suffice for the first aid
amateur. In the treatment Of heat eX-
haustion it is necessary TO bring the tenn
perature Up: in true sunstroke it is necessary
10 force it down. II is thus obvious hat
q mistake in diagnosis is very apt to prove
fatal.
Sunstroke is one of the oldest of re =.
nized diseases, and al least wo cases are
described in the Bible. IT is caused in
the great majority of instance by muscu-
lar activity at a high temperature.
A laborer is at work in a ditch shovelling
dirt and with the broiling sun shining down
Upon him, when suddenly he throws up
his hands and falls in a heap. A fireman
il at work in the stokehold Of a steamship
at a temperature of l25 degrees, when
suddenly he drops dead. A golfer is chasing
q ball across the links, when without a
seconds warning he goes sprawling and
dies half an hour afterward.
Each Of these men is n victim of heat
stroke, of which sunstroke is nothing more
than a variety. Other names for the malady
are thermic fever, s~iriasis, insulation, heat
apopleNy and sun fever.
In all cases the stroke is caused by the
fact that the victims body has become
incapable of getting rid OF heat as fast as
50 per cent. Of the heat that enters the
body is radiated by the skin.
But on a very hot day, when the tenn
perature of the surrounding air is greater
than that Of the body, this radiation almost
ceases. Then, if the bodily temperature
is raised by muscular effort, the extra heat
begins to cause trouble.
The usual result is dizziness and a feeling
OF weakness, and these manifestation COM
monty cause muscular effort to he suspended
hht ~ NlAV II n
Blu the foolish person who insists upon
shovelling dirt or chasing a golf ball after
nature has warned him to seek rest in the
shade does not escape so easily. Instead
of a slight attack of dizziness he suffers a
sGnstroke, and as a rule dies Of it.
Anything which interferes with the
proper operation OF the thermal fywheel in
the medulla oblongata increases the likeli-
hood of sunstroke. Alcohol is one such a
thing. The man who has swallowed a glass
Of whiskey is four or five times more liable
TO sunstroke on a hot day than the man who
has stuck to limeade or cold water.
The usual symptoms of coming sunstroke
ere dizziness. pains in the head and a feeling
Of oppression. The victim has a sensation
of sufocation and very often this forces him
20 stop work and seek rest in some cooler
place. II he does not do 80 nausea COM
monty follows and after that insensibilitv.
Bv the time he gets to a hos pital his face
is flushed, his pulse is rapid and his tenn
parature has gone up to l07 or l0s degrees
far beyond the danger line. His breathing
Is laborcd and loud and il is apparent to
any one hat he is a very i'll man.
IN fatal cases these symptoms grow more
and more pronounced until coma super
yonos and the patient dies. In those cases
fatei to end in recovery the fever slowly
goes down, the pulse grows slower. the
haavy breathing ceases and consciousness
rotirns, As n rule the crisis comes in from
twcnty-four to thirty-siH hours.
II IL obvious hat the first thing to do in
4 case Of suastroke is to reduce the tenn
pnrature OF the patient.
In consequence the hospitals Of the big
cities now treat sunstroke with ice. The
patient is carried to a cool place and flooded
with ice water. His head is bathed, his
whole body is sponged and water is forced
into his mouth
When a hospital is not at hand this treat
ment should he begun at once. on the spot
Carry the patient to a cool place as quickly
Is possible and open his clothes. Then
pour cold water over his body and apply
ice or water 10 his head.
Have no fear Of uFing too much. Let
the water be as cold as possible and let IL
be used unsparinglv. II is impossible 20
hive it too cold and impossible to apply IL
too quickly or too generously Whenever
feasible the patient should be stripped TO
tho skin.
Meanwhile see that he does not suffer
for want OF fresh air. One OF the most
alarming symptoms OF sunsEoke is a sort
Of asphyNia or suTocat;on.
Place the patient somewhere where he
may be struck by a strong current OF air
snd see that no throng Of curious spectators
crowds about him. As soon as possible get
o good doctor to his side.
The asphyXia of sutlstroke sometimes
becomes so marked that IT. is necessary
% combat it with artificial respiration.
Stretch the patient fiat upon his back.
tear of his clothes and work his arms up
and down, slowly and rhythmically.
Nature usually gives ample warn ing
OF the approach Of sunstroke n it is only
the foolhardy man who ia stricken. On
extraordinarily hot days IL is well TO avoid
oil muscular effort in the sun.
II a short walk makes you feel oppressed
and uncomfortable. seek the shade at once
~ you gov dizzy and see colored lights,
seek th5 shade-and send for a physician.
So long as YOU are able TO walk TO shelter
unassisted the danger is still but potential.
After you have once tainted your chances
Of dying are uncomfortably large.
One reason why there are 80 many cases
~ sunstroke in the United States every sum-
ner lies in the fact that Americans have no
Proper respect for the summer sun. In
-tH'S August they insist upon yea ring woollen
clothes, high collars, thick shoes and heavy
hats and upon taking their daily walks and
indulRinR in their usual exercise.
In the tropics. where high temperatures
prevail all the year around. the avera GO
white man takes elaborate precautions To
avoid sunstroke and In most cases is sue
coSsful He never walks in ths sun and all
~ his exercise ia taken in the cool Of the
evening.
I no has 10 make = Journey. even though
u be orc OF no more than two city blocks.
ho rides. IL he feels oDprnSSRd he atops