574 



GENERAL REVIEW OF THE NUTRITIVE PROCESSES. 



720. Our present knowledge of the Temperature of the Human body under 

 different circumstances, is chiefly due to the investigations of Dr. J. Davy. 

 Much additional information may be expected, however, from inquiries which 

 are at present in progress. Dr. Davy's observations* have included 114 indi- 

 viduals of both sexes, of different ages, and among various races, in different 

 latitudes, and under various temperatures ; the external temperature, however, 

 was in no instance very low, and the variations were by no means extreme. 

 The mean of the ages of all the individuals was 27 years. The following is 

 a general statement of the results, the temperature of the body being ascer- 

 tained by a thermometer placed under the tongue. 

 Temperature of the air 60 Average temperature of the body 



78 

 79-5 



80 



82 



98-28 

 98-15 

 98-85 

 99-21 

 99-67 



99-9 



Mean of all the experiments 74 Mean of all the experiments 100 



Highest temperature of air 82 Highest temperature of body 102 



Lowest temperature of air 60 Lowest temperature of body 96-5" 



From this we see that the variations noted by Dr. Davy, which were evidently 

 in part the consequence of variations in external temperature, but which were 

 also partly attributable to individual peculiarities, amounted to 5| degrees ; the 

 lower extreme would probably undergo still further depression, if the inquiries 

 were carried on in very cold climates. The Temperature of the body may be 

 affected by internal as well as by external causes ; thus in diseases which in- 

 volve an accelerated pulse and an augmented respiration, the temperature is 

 generally higher than usual, even though a large portion of the lung may be 

 unfit for its function. This is often remarkably seen in the last stages of 

 Phthisis, when the inspirations are extremely rapid, and the pulse so quick as 

 scarcely to admit of being counted ; the skin, in such cases, often becomes 

 almost painfully hot. On the other hand, in diseases of the contrary charac- 

 ter, such as Asthma and the Asiatic Cholera, the temperature of the body falls, 

 sometimes to the extent of 20 degrees. The following observations have been 

 made on this subject by M. Donne ;t it is much to be desired, however, that 

 fuller data could be collected on the subject. In a case of Puerperal Fever, 

 the pulse being 168, and the respiration 48 per minute, the temperature was 

 104. In a case of Hypertrophy of the Heart, the pulse being 150, and the 

 respirations 34, the temperature was 103. In a case of Typhoid Fever, the 

 pulse being 136, and the respirations 50, the temperature was 104. And in 

 a case of Phthisis, the pulse being 140, and the respirations 62, the tempera- 

 ture was 102. On the other hand, in a case of Jaundice, in which the pulse 

 was but 52, the temperature was only 96-40 ; but the same temperature was 

 observed in a case of Diabetes, in which the pulse was 84. The limited re- 

 sults of Mons. D.'s experiments, whilst they clearly indicate that a general 

 relation exists between the temperature of the body and the rapidity of the 

 pulse, also show that this relation is by no means invariable, but that it is liable 

 to be affected by several causes, of which our knowledge is as yet very limited. 

 Dr. Dunglison speaks of having frequently seen the thermometer at 106 in 

 Scarlatina and Typhus ; and Dr. Edwards mentions a case of Tetanus, in which 

 it rose to 110! 4 



* Phil. Trans. 1814; republished in Anatomical and Physiological Researches. 

 f Archives Generales, Oct., 1835 ; and Brit, and For. Med. Rev., vol. ii., p. 248. 

 i [An extensive series of observations has been made by M. Roger on the temperature 

 of children in health and various diseases. 



Arch. Gen. de Medecine, Juillet, Aout, &c., 1844. 



