The sun., 1909-02-14
NORMAL TEMPERiTCREOFM4N.
II Is rs q Degrees When Taken Under the
Tongue. No Matter Where lie Lives.

The normal temperature OF a human
being is generally given, as $50 degrees
but the statement must be slightly quail
fled. 1t is the normal temperature when
taken by placing the thermometer under
the tongue or in the armpit or the groin.
The surface temperature Of the head.
hands or abdomen varies from 30 degrees
10 93 degrees, or even lower. That of
the internal regions may go up to 1922
degrees, that being the average heat OF
the blood circulating in the liver md some
other org"ns.
But 1s.a degrees is called the normal
temperature Of a human being. and 1t
doesn't matter whether he lives in the
desert OF Sahara or in Greenland. accord
ing to a writer in the Technical World
Awake or asleep. at work or just loafng
mans temperature remains practi-
cally at this level
When it varies more than the fraction
OF a degree il is because the heot regulat-
ing mechanism is disarranged by disease
or by abnormal conditions Of some sort
Excessively high measures Of heat may
be borne for several minutes by an in
dividual without raising his temperature
more than fraction Of degree. Persons
who sometimes are styled human sala-
manders have given exhibitions Of their
ability to stand high temperatures.
There is an authentic case recorded OF
Martinez, the so-called French salams nder
"a baker by trade-who exposed him
self to high temperatures from boyhood.
He remained in an oven erected in the
| Tivoli Gerdens for fourteen minutes
| when the temperature in IL was S3S degrees
| His pulse on entering was 20 minute,
and had reached l30 when he came out,
He often duplicated this performance,
Chamouni, a celebrated Russian sala-
mander. who called himself The lncom-
bustible,' used 10 go into an oven and
stay while a leg OF mutton was roasted
| there, not coming out until the meat was
well done. He eventually lost his life
in one of these performances.
| Fever is rise OF emperature above
the normal level. This rise ID seldom be-
yopd 108 degrees. Mental and nervous
| Influences may 30 act for time as TO dis
order the control OF the thermota xio nerve
centre andicause fever.
1t is interesting to note some OF the high
temperatures which are on medical rec
ord as having actually occurred in certain
diseases. Guys Hospital in London re-
cords the case Of hysterical woman
| afflicted with tuberculosis Of one lung
who showed degrees.
| At a meeting Of the Association OF
| American physicians in 1895 DR.. jacob
OF New York reported patient In whom
| fever reached the almost Incredible figure
OF l4s degrees +. This case occurred in
hysterical fireman who had suffered q
severe injury from fall.
In the discussion which followed the
report Of this case among the members Of
the association DR.. Welch OF Baltimore
referred to a condition Of hyperthermv
that had come to his knowledge in which
| the temperature was recorded as III
degrees +. OF course such exceedingly
| high TEN peratures are OF only short dura-
ton or death would ensue.
Fever is not the only disturbance which
may alter temperature. Certain con-
ditions-especially those due TO diseases
like tuberculosis. acute alcoholism. melan-
cholia, convalescence from fevers, poison
ing from various drugs and 30 forth-may
cause the bodily warmth TO become SUBJ
| normal Injuries and surgical shock
also originate the same effect. Starva-
ton always induces a gradual fall
Low temperatures are always danger
GUS and unless reaction quickly ensues,
| by aid OF relief measures, a fatal termi-
nation may be expected. The lowest re-
corded during life that may he regarded
as reliable IL one reported by Duffy In
which the thermometer registered 81 de-
grees +, Death ensued 1.-The following
day.
The body. however. can withstand ex-
treme cold more readily than il can
extreme heat before the regulating GEN.
tire becomes disordered; and so. other
things being equal. freezing TO death Is
not as common in cold climates as SUM-
lStroks u AjneEaTu. ...-,----...j