IN FE VER AND INFLAMMA TION. 2 2 1 



temperature rises, and the mercury in a thermometer 

 placed in the axilla stands as much as two degrees of 

 Fahrenheit's scale higher than it did immediately be- 

 fore the clothes were removed (Proceedings of the 

 Royal Society, No. 112, 1869*). 



We have seen, then, that in all feverish and in- 

 flammatory states, whether caused by changes 

 commencing in the system itself, or by special living 

 disease-germs introduced from without, important 

 alterations are induced in the blood. An undue 

 amount of nutrient matter is formed, and this is 

 taken up by the bioplasm of the blood of the 



* Mr. Garrod has more recently noticed the interesting fact that as 

 the temperature of the external air increases, the rise in body heat on 

 stripping off the clothes decreases. This is a necessary deduction from 

 the theory that the temperature of the body is modified by alterations in 

 the amount of blood distributed to the skin in consequence of altera- 

 tions of arterial tension. Several observations have been made by him 

 with the view of ascertaining the point at which no change in the inter- 

 nal temperature results from stripping, or what temperature of air causes 

 no rise in the arterial tension. This point has been found to be 70 F., 

 above which, the first effect on becoming nude is a slight fall from the 

 evaporation of accumulated surface moisture, this soon ceases, and 

 the temperature returns to near its previous height. By means of an 

 hygrometer, constructed for the purpose, Weyrich (Die unmerkliche 

 Wasserverdunstung der Menschlichen Haut. Von D. Victor Weyrich, 

 Leipzig, 1862), has found that from many degrees below, up to 70 F. 

 of the external air, the amount of moisture exhaled from the skin does 

 not vary ; but above 70 F. it commences rapidly to increase, in other 

 words, from that point the sweat glands commence more active secre- 

 tion. This fact tallies exactly with that ascertained by the use of the 

 thermometer internally. And it is interesting to notice that by these 

 two very different methods of investigation, entirely independent of one 

 another, results are obtained which do not differ by as much as i F. 



