The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-06-19
NORMAL rEMpERATuRE OF MAN.
IL 10 ss.6 Degrees When Taken un-
der the Tongue, No Matter Where
He lives.
posted


The normal temperature of human
being is generally given as ss.6 de-
grees but the statement must be
alightly qualified It Is the normal
temperature when taken by placing
the Thermometer under the Aongue or
In the armpit or the groin.
The surface temperature of the
head, hands or abdomen varies from
S6 degrees to SO degrees, or even low
or. That of the internal regions may
60 Up to 1922 degrees. that being the
average heat of the blood circulating
in the liver and some other organs.
But 1856 degrees Ia called the nor
NAL temperature Of human being.
and it doesn't mater whether he lives
in the desert of Sahara or in Green
land, according to a writer In the
Technical World Awake or asleep,
at work or just loaf1ng, mans tenn
perature remains practically at this
level.
When 1t varies more than the frac-
ton Of degree 1t Is because the heat
regulating mechanism Is disarranged
by disease or by Abnormal conditions
az some sort Excessively high meas
1res of heat may be borne for several
minutes by an individual without
Taislng his temperature more than a
fraction OF a degree. Person who
sometimes are styled human salaman-
ders have given exhibitions of their
ability to stand high temperature.
There Is an authentic case recorded
Of Martinez, the so-called French SAL
emandeT--a baker by trade-who ex-
posed himself to high temperatures
from boyhood. He remained in an
oven erected In the Tivoli Gardens for
fourteen minutes when the tempera-
ture In 1t was 1913 degrees. His pulse
on entering was 76 minute and had
reached 1870 when he came out. He
often duplicated this performance.
Chamouni, celebrated Russian sal
mmander. who called himself ''The IN
combustible," used to go into an oven
and stay while leg OF mutton was
roasted there. not coming out until
9he meat was well done. He event
ually lost his life In one of these per-
9ormances.
Fever Ia rise Of temperature above
the normal level This rise is seldom
beyond 1O6 degrees. Mental and ner-
vous influences may SO act for time
as to disorder the control of the Their
maotaxic nerve centre and cause fever.
It is interesting to note some Of the
high temperatures which are ON med
ical record as having actually occur
rcd In certain diseases. Guys hospital
IN London records the case of hys-
eerlcal woman afflicted with tubercu-
sOsia Of one lung who showed degrees.
At q meeting of the Association OK
American Physicians in 1895 DR.. JAG
obi of New York reported patient
IN whom fever reached the almost In
credible figure of lab degrees F. This
case occurred In historical fireman
who had suffered a severe injury from
Q fall.
In the discussion which followed the
report OF this case among the mem
hArs OF the association DR.. WEIGH OF
Baltimore referred to condition OF
hyperthermy that had come to his
knowledge In which the temperature
was recorded as III degrees F. or
course such exceedingly high tenn
peratures are of only short duration or
death would ensue.
Fever Is not the only disturbance
which may altar temperature. Certain
conditions especially those due 10
diseases like tuberculosis. acute al
coholism, meiancholia. convalescence
from fsvcrs, poisoning from various
drugs and SO forth--may cause the
bodily warmth to become subnorma.
Injuries and surgical shock also orig1-
nAta tho same effect. Starvation al
ways induces gradual fall.
Low temperatures are always dan
xnroue and unless a reaction quickly
ensues, by aid of relief measures. a
fatal termination may be expected
The lowest recorded life that may be
regarded as reliable Is one reported
by Duty in which the thermometer
registered 81 degrees F. Death en-
sued the following day.
The body, however. can withstand
extreme cold more readily than 1t can
extreme heat before the regulating
centre becomes disordered; and SO,
ether things being equal. freezing to
death ia not as common in cold cli-
mates as sunstrokes is In warm.