Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-07-30
Effect of Heat on the Health.

1
York Sun, to learn that high tempers-
ture is beneficial rather than harmful
to human life. ThiSis the averment
lately made in a London newspaper
by an English physician, DR.. d. H.
Riddle, and it is unqusstionsbly sup
ported by a vast amount of careful
statistics and an imposing array Of
scientific authorities.
There is no foundation FOR the cur.
rent opinion that the heart and the
lungs bear most Of the stress Of hot
weather. The assumption seems to
be based on supposed analogy be-
tween a human being and a dog,
which latter notoriOusly pants when
overheated. There is no such analogy,
for the reason that human beings rely
chiefly on their perspiratory system
to regulate the control of the tempera-
ture Of the body, while the dog, not
having perspiratory glands compare
bic to ours, has to make greater use
of his lungs in preventing his body
temperature from being too much in.
huenced by outside conditions. The
truth is, as experiments in India have
shown, that the ordinary Europeans 8
death rate is not increased but act
ually reduced about one.ffth during
his first attempts to accommodate
himself to the heat of that country.
The same experiments have shown
that the hearts action also is not aug
mented even in tropical temperatures.
The liver and spleen are the chief suf-
ferers, but even the congestion which
may be caused in these organs by
high temperatures may be left out of
account by those persons who are
careful about what they eat and
drink.
By those who argue against the
healthfulness of heat waves much
weight is laid upon the lose Of appe-
tite and the impairment of digestion.
These phenomena, according to DR..
Riddle, are blessings in disguise. If
there is one thing that medical men Of
all schools are agreed upon it is that
wee at too much. II with the reduced
activity Of our digestive systems in
high temperatures our appetites were
augmented, trouble would be sure to
ensue but nature meets the situation
not only with decline Of appetite,
but also with a repugnance for the
more indigestible varieties of food.
The mere fact that extreme heat im-
pels US to eat less at meals and drink
more water between meals is a posi-
tive gain.
The most important effect Of heat
on the human body lies, of course, in
its action upon the skin, the result
being that the excretions from the
skin are increased in quantity to an
extent that sometimes reaches "a per
cent above the average in cool wealth
er. Metchnikof, one Of the greatest
biologists of our day, has recently
pointed out that most of US die simply
because we cannot rapidly enough get
rid of the poisons that accumulate In
our bodies. According to his theory
the hope Of attaining advanced age
lies chiefly in keeping our excretory
systems in the best possible working
order. Among the systems whose
functions keep the body free from
auto-intoxication the skin, it is we'll
known, plays most conspicuous part.
In our latitudes during the greater
part of the year, unless man belongs
to the small minority who get active
exercise daily, his skin and the glands
within it lie practically dormant. Any
part of the body, however, not act
ually used tends to degenerate. 1t is
easy, therefore, to see that the inhabi-
tants Of our northern states would
gradually lose the use Of one OF the
most efficient processes for freeing our
bodies from accumulated impurities if
our skins never received any climatic
stimulation. A short spell Of tropical
weather e1cites these glsnds and
makes them take up again their too
little exercised functions. The per.
spiration against which most people
rebel should be looked upon as a
sluicing out of nyriads Of tiny eEcre-
tory channels.
The truth is that it is not high tenn.
perature but the humidity which some
times accompanies it which detracts
largely from the healthful results that
otherwise would be experienced and
which leads to the lassitude and nerv-
GUS depression that people complain
Of. To guard best against the effects
of humidity woOlen undergarmentG
should be worn, because, especially