Year: 1878

Of New York.


DIR. Alfred L. Loomis, of New York.
has detailed to New York Herald re-
porter the causes and effects of sunstroke.
He said that sunstroke is not disease
zeishseellzz S;aaaaHlz Strikes -
son down vi ithout warning. There Is -
ways premonitory or preparatory stage.
This is characterized by restlessness, ex-
citement and inability to sleep, all Of
which are due to the effects of heat pro-
longed through several days. The effect
of the heat may be assisted by over
stimulation with alcoholic drinks, men
tai shock and over taxation of the body
and mind. In addition to these symp-
toms there are lassitude, want of ap-
petite and increased thirst. The pa
tients say that they feel hot but cannot
sweat The greater number Of cases is
observed in laborers working out OF
doors, although they may not be exposed
to the direct rays of the sun. 1t is also
noticed in this stage that the pulse is
increased in frequency and that the
temperature of the skin is raised above
the natural standard, which is ninety
eight or ninety-nine degrees. After this
period of restlessness and excitement
comes vertigo or dizziness and faintiDg
which rapidly or gradually pass into the
state of funconsciousness called sunstrOke.
The termination of this stage is, naturally,
recovery or death. DR.. Loomis expressed
his belief that, in the majority of cases,
the premonitory stage exists, but the
greater number of the persons affected
are habitual drinkers of stimulants,
and keep on drinking to relieve their
thirst, until they fall unconscious.
Thus the first stage may exist
without causing any alarm. The
treatment of the first stage, which all
persons can readily recognize as the foreA
runner of sunstroke, as it occurs during
the summer, and comes on without the
chill which ushers in fever, is absolute
rest. cooling applications to the skin and
head, and medicine to relieve the bowels.


THE SECOND STAGE.


The stage of unconsciousness is marked
by heavy breathing, turgid or flushed
countenance and neck, hot and dry skin,
and frequent and feeble pulse. In some
cases the face is deathly pale, but the
other parts of the body are more or less
flushed. There is an inability to swaI-
low or to speak, and there is a loss Of
sensation and voluntary motion. The
pupils of the eye are at first contracted,
but afterward become dilated. The
conditions resemble closely dit
ferent kinds of blood-poisoning, in
which is included alcoholic in
toxication, and the diagnosis is made by
observing the high temperature of the
body and by taking into consideration
the heat of the weather. But for the
rise of the temperature it would be diff
cult to distinguish sunstreke from intOx-
ication. The time of day, or the par
ticular heat of one day, has nothing to
do with sunstroke. The real cause is
prolonged heat extending through sew
eraI days. A person may be exposed to
intense heat for two days, and on the
third day, which may be cooler than the
one preceding it, may be sunstruck. DR..
Loomis has had cases in which the
prominent sign was an increase of tenn
perature. He treated them for the pre-
monitory stage of sunstroke, and all bad
effects disappeared; but he had no doubt
that the cases if left TO themselves would
baye terminated in the inconsistencies
of sunstroke.