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THE ALUMNI JOURNAL, 



perhaps there were a few premonitory 

 symptoms of faintness, headache, dis- 

 turbed vision, or nausea and vomiting:. 

 Treatment: The object of treatment is 

 to reduce the heat of the body. You 

 should apply cold to the surface by the 

 best available means. A most valuable 

 method is to remove most ofthe patient's 

 clothing, wrap him in a sheet and pour 

 cold water over him until consciousness 

 returns and the patient feels cool. If in- 

 sensibility comes on again, the cold water 

 treatment must be continued. When 

 this method is impracticable, apply cold 

 or ice water to the head, back of the neck 

 or the hands. 



Heat Exhaustion. — In a certain num- 

 ber of cases the symptoms due to exces- 

 sive heat are more than of simple ex- 

 haustion. The face is but slightly flushed 

 and may be pale; the skin is moist, and 

 may even be cool, while the pulse is fre- 

 quent and feeble. The treatment is not 

 directed to a reduction of the tempera- 

 ture, but simply to the securing of rest. 

 I^et the patient sit in a cool room, and 

 give some mild stimulant, such as a little 

 sherry with vichy water. Do not apply 

 cold. 



Epileptic Paroxysms or Fits. — These at- 

 tacks are due to a disordered condition of 

 the circulation in the brain. A person 

 subject to them is generally aware of 

 their approach. The face is liable to be- 

 come pale and the patient may utter a 

 peculiar cry and falls unconscious, almost 

 always on the face. At first, the whole 

 body becomes rigid while the face is con- 

 gested, then convulsion movements set 

 in. The tongue or lips are sometimes 

 caught between the teeth and may be 

 badly bitten, while the eyes roll and turn 

 upward. A single attack lasts from a 

 second to several minutes, but the 

 seizures may also succeed each other 

 with scarcely appreciable intervals dur- 

 ing an hour or more. After the attack 



passes over the patient usually has some 

 headache and feels a strong desire to 

 sleep. Treatment : Cause the person to lie 

 flat and prevent him from injuring 

 himself. A cork or piece of folded cloth 

 may if possible be pushed between his 

 teeth to prevent injury to the tongue or 

 lips. There is no sense in opening out 

 the patient's tightly clinched hand or 

 " breaking his grip," as it is called. If 

 the convulsions end with stupor or partial 

 or complete unconsciousness the patient 

 may be permitted simply to rest quietly 

 with the head slightly elevated. 



Hysterical Attacks. — These occur oc- 

 casionally among young women, very rare- 

 ly in men. At times the patient appears to 

 be insensible, at others she wuU scream, 

 shout and struggle. These are no 

 symptoms of injury or illness, however; 

 the skin being normal and the pulse 

 strong, though possibly somewhat ac- 

 celerated. It may be learned on inquiry 

 that the patient is nervous and excitable 

 and has probably had other similar at- 

 tacks. Treatment : There is no danger 

 whatever. Simply keep her quiet and 

 free from excitement. If the attack con- 

 tinues and no immediate medical aid is to 

 be had, you may administer 25 or 30 

 drops of tincture of valerian combined 

 with 20 grains of bromide of sodium or 

 potassium. 



Alcoholic Stupor. — This is important 

 chiefly from its resemblance to more 

 serious conditions. A person in a drunken 

 stupor presents symptoms very like those 

 of apoplexy. But in alcoholism the 

 pupils are symmetrical, there is no one- 

 sided paralysis and the cheeks do not 

 puff out, the face is not drawn to one 

 side and there is apt to be an alcoholic 

 odor in the breath. The pulse is soft 

 but full, and the patient may usually be 

 aroused by more or less vigorous effort. 

 Treatment : If there is any doubt as to 

 the diagnosis it is better to treat the: 



