THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ANIMAL HEAT. 379 



the skin. This is one of the most efficient means the body 

 has to maintain its temperature equilibrium. 



One of the deceptive results of alcoholic drinks is the 

 feeling of warmth experienced. This is due to the fact that 

 under the action of the alcohol the blood-vessels of the skin 

 have been dilated and the warm blood from the visceral 

 organs traverses it, giving to the skin its sense of warmth. 

 As a matter of fact, however, this exposes the warm blood 

 to the exterior, and the result is a material loss of bodily 

 temperature in spite of the deceptive feeling. 



Fourth, the temperature may be materially affected by 

 the administration of drugs. It may be increased by such 

 drugs as atropine, strychnine, caffeine, and others; on the 

 other hand, materially decreased by quinine, morphine, 

 large doses of alcohol and others. These medicinal prop- 

 erties of drugs frequently enable the physician to increase, 

 or more usually in cases of fevers, to decrease the tempera- 

 ture from a dangerously high point to the normal. 



There is no question any more but that the temperature 

 of the body may be directly affected by nerves carrying 

 their impulses from nerve centers especially concerned in 

 the regulation of the bodily heat. These thermogenic 

 nerves, as they are called, are vital agents in the regulation 

 of the temperature, a topic which naturally arises at this 

 point. 



THE REGULATION OF THE TEMPERATURE. 



Any one who has ever had any practical experience in 

 trying to maintain a uniform temperature in a room or 

 house, even with the best modern heating appliances, re- 

 alizes the great difficulty he has undertaken. In spite of 

 the most improved modern contrivances and in spite of 

 constant watching, the temperature of a large building will 

 vacillate through many degrees in the course of a day. 

 One is therefore naturally surprised to find the temperature 

 of the body subjected in so many different ways to every 

 change in external conditions remain so constant, and the 



