The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-06
Your Health
HEAT AND COLD
DECLARED WEAK
AIDS OF DOCTOR
Tests Reveal Neither Has
Curative Power; Give
Temporary Relief.
BY DR.. MORRIS FISHBEIN
Editor Journal of the American Medi-
cal Association and of Hygeia,
the Health Magazine.


Editor Journal of the American Medi-
cal Association and of Hygeia,
the Health Magazine.
Use of both heat and cold in the
treatment of various inflammationS
and infections long has been a fac
tor in medical practice. Physi-
clans differ as to the value of an
ice bag or Of different forms Of
heat applied to the appendix, or to
other conditions that occur in the
abdomen.
Some persons are upset after eat
ing ice cream and ice drinks; others
after drinking extraordinarily hot
drinks Of various kinds.
Therefore, number of physicians
in Philadelphia decided to make a
scientific study of the effects of
changes of temperature of the Or
gans inside the abdomen to deter
mine the exaSt usefulness of such
methods.
Use New Device
A new apparatus was developed
for measuring accurately the tenn
perature of the internal organs.
The temperature of both stomach
and mouth were determined. Usual
ly the temperature inside the stom-
ach is greater than that in the
mouth, but in some cases it may be
lower.
Furthermore, temperature of the
stomach of any one person may
vary during a short period of time
The same fact applies to tempera-
ture Of the intestines and of the
lower bowel
On an average, the temperature
Of the stomach of man is $40 of
a degree and that of woman IA |
degrees higher than that of their
mouths. Twenty-seven men and
twenty-five women each drank a
half pint of ice water.
Normally in Ten Minutes
There was an immediate decrease
in the temperature of the stomach,
followed by a rise, which first was
rapid and then slower. The original
temperature of the stomach was
reached after about ten minutes
and maintained permanently, but in
the majority of cases the tempera-
ture reached after ten minutes was
one-half to two-tenths lower than
the original temperature.
Although states of varying de-
grees of GOODNESS were tested, the
time required for getting back to
the usual temperature was just
about ten minutes.
Next an experiment was tried
with ice cream. The same effects
followed eating ice cream as drink
ing ice water. However, the length
of time that the temperature Of the
stomach remained at a lower level
depended on the speed with which
one ate the ice cream.
Test With Ice Cream
One man ate the ice. cream in two
minutes; the temperature of the
dropped twenty degrees and
it took mere than forty-six minutes
for his stomach to come back to
the original temperature.
Another man ate the ice cream
in five and half minutes; the tenn
perature of the stomach dropped
more than eight degrees and it took
mere than thirty-Seven minutes for
his stomach to came back to its
original level
Next experiments was tried with
hot coffee. The maximum tempera-
ture at which coffee may be swal-
lowed without discomfort varies with
different people. It lies between
113 degrees and 149 degrees.
With coffee the temperature of
the stomach rises rapidly and then
requires about ten minutes to get
back to its original level
Heat and Cold Tried
Tests also we're made on the use
Of ice bags, hot packs, hot water
bags, heat lamps and electric pads,
applied for anywhere from thirty
five minutes to two and one-half
hours.
These experiments indicated that
The APPLICATION Of heat to the abdo-
men produced feeling of comfort
when there was pain, but apparent
" is of no special value in healing
he condition which causes the pain
In fact, the authors expressed
their opinion that it is doubtful
that the benefit obtained is such as
to warrant the application of heat,
in summer.
The feeling of comfort is appar-
emily a local nerve reaction, with
out any generally valuable effects
Also, the experiment indicated the
doubtful advisability of putting ice
packs on the stomach with the idea
hat these will in any way benefit
he condition for which the ice is
applied.