A S T U D V I N M C) i; D 1 D A N 1) N O i; M A L V II Y S 1 O L (i V. 5 



believe that the symptoms of sunstroke are due to the presence of a poison in tlic 

 blood.' 



That high temperature is capable of causing most fatal nutritive disturbances of 

 almost every tissue is therefore shown not only by experiments upon the lower 

 animals, but also by the natural (if the expression be allowable) experiment of sun- 

 stroke upon man. The peculiar odor and the offensive perspiration of thermic 

 fever in man, the altered or suppressed urine, the frequent watery, exceedingly 

 offensive, involuntary passages, the broken-down crassis of tlie blood found after 

 death, are all of them important witnesses of the profound iniluence excessive tem- 

 perature has upon the general nutrition. 



Without occupying more space it may be claimed that by the evidence brought 

 forward the following proposition has been demonstrated: — 



External heat applied to I he body of the normal animal, so as to elevate the 

 temperature, produces derangement of tlie functions of innervation, of circulation, 

 of nutrition and secretion, similar to those seen in natural fever; the intensity of 

 the disturbances being directly proportionate to tlie rise in temperature. 



Bearing closely upon this proposition are various experiments tluit Inive been 

 made as to the effect of external heat upon the brain and iieart when applied directly 

 to them. 



There is no difficulty in apjilying heat directly to the brain of the cat and rabbit 

 by surrounding the liead witii a double bonnet of indiu-rubber, or, as I have used, 

 of pig's bladder, and allowing hot water to run through this. Vallin is, so far as 

 I know, the only observer who has made any such experiments. It is evident that 

 there are two points especially to be determined in this inquiry : first, How do 

 the symptoms produced compare with those of ordinary sunstroke? second. What 

 is the temperature at wliich the functional power of the brain is lost'? In only two 

 histances did Vallin succeed in causing death by the hot-water bonnet, and in 

 neither of these cases was any attempt made to measure the temperature of the 

 brain. The symptoms are not described by Vallin as closely as is desirable, but 

 appear to have been insensibility — whether coming on gradually or suddenly is not 

 stated — with convulsions. 



' It is perhaps allowable here to notice a criticism of Prof. J. J. ficot {Lemons de Palhologie 

 G&nerale. Les Grantls Processes Morbides. Tome I. Paris, 187G, p. 35). 



"Sans doute aussi, en 18G3, H. C. Wood (cite dans 'Revue critique dn nicchanisnic de la mort par 

 la chaleur exterieure,' par le doeteur E. Tallin. Arrh. Gen. dc 3Icd., 1871 :) a pretendu que clicz 

 les animau.x qui succonibent a la suite de Pexjiosilion a line temperature excessive, on trouve le sang 

 acide, et cette assertion a lite reproduite par Obcrnier en 1807; luais les experiences sur Icsquciles 

 ces auteurs ont appuye une semblable constatation manquent complotement de base scicntifique, ot, 

 je le pense avec M. Vallin Qoc. ciL), il n'y a pas lieu d'en tenir compte." 



In 1863 I had made no experiments on animals. When in 1872 I did maki' such experiments, I 

 wrote simply, " that the alkalinity of the blood was impaired." I liiul reported in I8G3 cases of 

 sunstroke, in which among other new observations I had found the blaod acid of. the mt/opiiiex per- 

 formed two or three hours after death. That the acidity was present during life I did not assert, and 

 do not know; but of its presence at the autopsies there can l)e no mistake. Very i)ossiliIy il was tlie 

 result of chemical disintegration of the blood commenced during life, but nut reaching the point of 

 acidity until after death. 



