SUN-STROKE. 259 



specially dangerous when persons are kept waiting and 

 dawdling about, while not in active exercise. This is 

 no doubt due to the fact that perspiration acts as a 

 powerful protection against the sun, but when people 

 are kept standing about this action of the skin is not 

 stimulated. In the old days in India, before these 

 things were properly understood, therefore, it was of 

 frequent occurrence for troops injudiciously exposed 

 to the sun in this way, to suffer severely ; and parades, 

 for guards of honour, funerals, and other pageants, 

 have been known to be followed by the most lamentable 

 and fatal consequences. Captain Lugard, an experienced 

 officer, in his recent work on East Africa, has given some 

 sound and sensible advice about these matters : 



"More harm" (he says) "is done by standing in the sun, 

 or running out of the tent for a few minutes into the sun, 

 with no hat or only a small cap, than by any number of 

 hours of walking in the hottest part of the day." * 



He is a great advocate against all unnecessary ex- 

 posure to the sun when not in active exercise, and 

 believes that when walking thirst should be freely 

 quenched with water, or very weak tea, which assists 

 in keeping the skin, and especially the head, in the 

 moist condition which renders it almost proof against 

 the sun. f The comparative freedom of troops or 

 travellers from serious illness, when constantly on the 

 march, seems strongly to bear out the soundness of 

 these views: whereas the very frequent occurrence of 

 fever and other forms of illness, seems the almost inva- 

 riable result of remaining stationary in camps and can- 

 tonments. Moreover, there is another, and if possible 



* The Rise of Our East African Empire, by Captain F. D. Lugard, 

 1893, Vol. i, p. 34. 

 f Ibid., p. 34. 



