406 ARTIFICIAL ELEVATION OF THE BODILY TEMPERATURE. 



cent, in heat-production in conjunction with elevation of temperature, and diminu- 

 tion in heat-dissipation. At the height of the fever heat-production was likewise 

 increased, while heat-dissipation was increased only when heat-production was 

 considerable. With decline of temperature heat-production is generally diminished 

 while heat-dissipation varies. 



According to Filehne, Hildebrand, Richter, Stern, and others, antipyretics act 

 by restoring heat-regulation to a lower level. Quinin reduces temperature by 

 limiting heat-production. Toxic doses of metallic salts act similarly, diminished 

 carbon-dioxid formation being at the same time demonstrable. According to 

 others the influence of antipyretics is exerted principally upon the increase of 

 heat-dissipation through the dilatation of the vessels, while heat-production is but 

 little diminished about 15 per cent. 



The course of heat-production in infected cold-blooded animals follows that 

 in febrile warm-blooded animals. It rises at the height of the disease and falls 

 during collapse. Even in plants injured bulbs Pfeffer observed phenomena 

 analogous to fever. 



ARTIFICIAL ELEVATION OF THE BODILY TEMPERATURE. 



Elevation of the bodily temperature, in addition to causing disturb- 

 ances of the general condition, influences, first of all, consciousness, so 

 that mental confusion, vertigo, insomnia and loss of consciousness occur. 

 The functions of the medulla oblongata and the spinal cord are affected 

 only later. 



If mammals are kept constantly in air at a temperature of 40 C. 

 escape of heat from the body ceases, and accordingly accumulation of 

 the heat produced must take place. At first the bodily temperature 

 declines somewhat for a short time, but later a distinct elevation sets in. 

 Respiration and pulse are accelerated and the latter becomes weaker 

 and irregular. Absorption of oxygen and elimination of carbon dioxid 

 diminish in the course of from six to eight hours, and death takes place 

 amid signs of great exhaustion, convulsions, salivation and loss of con- 

 sciousness, even when the temperature of the body is not increased more 

 than 4 or at most 6 C. Death is due not to the rigidity of the muscles, 

 as the coagulation of their myosin does not take place in mammals at 

 a temperature below 49 or 50 C., in birds at a temperature of 53 C., 

 in frogs at a temperature of 40 C., but probably to a derangement of 

 the heat-regulating functions of the nerves. If mammals are exposed 

 suddenly to air of a high temperature, 100 C., death takes place 

 amid similar phenomena, but much more rapidly in fifteen or 

 twenty minutes. The temperature of the body rises only 4 or 5 C. 

 under such circumstances. Under like conditions a loss of i gram in 

 body- weight is observed in rabbits within a minute. Birds tolerate the 

 high temperature somewhat better, dying only after the temperature of 

 their blood reaches 48 or 50 C. Man also is capable of surviving for a 

 short time in air having a temperature between 100 and 132, although 

 the greatest danger to life sets in in the course of ten or fifteen minutes. 

 At the same time the skin becomes burning red, copious sweating takes 

 place, and the cutaneous veins are greatly distended and of a brighter 

 red appearance. Pulse and respiration are greatly accelerated. Severe 

 headache, vertigo, exhaustion and failure of sensor} 7 activity are in- 

 dicative of great danger. At the same time the temperature taken in 

 the rectum will have risen but i or 2 C. According to the observations 

 of C. A. Koch, v. Voit and Simanowsky, artificial elevation of tempera- 

 ture in man and animals is not followed by increased proteid metabolism, 

 whence it is to be concluded that the increased proteid metabolism 



