THE TEMPERATURE OF THE HUMAN BODY 



401 



mean value of the body temperature obtained from a large number of deter- 

 minations extending over periods of twenty-four to forty-eight hours, remains 

 the same in spite of all such disturbances. This maintenance of the mean 

 body temperature unquestionably is closely related to the fact that, with a 

 free choice of food, and within periods of some days, the body automatically 

 measures out its supply of energy with unerring regularity. 



Variations of the temperature between persons of different age are but 

 slight. Since the fcetus has a certain small metabolism of its own, its body 

 temperature must be somewhat higher than that of its mother, which direct 

 observations tend to prove. The difference amounts however to only 0.3 C. 

 After birth the temperature of the child sinks from 0.5 to 0,8 C., a fact 

 dependent in part only on the first bath; it returns during the first week, 

 as it appears, with some fluctuations, and then is maintained at the value 

 given above until old age, when the temperature is said to become some tenths 

 of a degree higher. 



When the body is subjected to excessive loss of heat, it is no longer able 

 to maintain its temperature at a constant level. The lower the temperature 

 of the body falls, the greater are the disturbances thereby produced. The 

 highest nerve centers are the 

 first to suffer from this cool- 

 ing, but the centers of the 

 medulla which are important 

 for the maintenance of life, are 

 not paralyzed until the reduc- 

 tion has been carried much fur- 

 ther. Theoretically it may be 

 assumed that in man restora- 

 tion is possible from a very 

 considerable reduction of the 

 body temperature, so long as 

 the centers of the medulla have 

 not lost their vitality. Cases 

 have been observed in fact 

 where patients recovered from 

 a fall of the body temperature 

 to 24 C. due to great exposure. 

 Indeed, a case has been re- 

 ported of a man who retained 

 consciousness with a tempera- 

 ture of only 26.7 C. 



In like manner, an increase 



of the temperature, if it passes a certain limit, which is different for dif- 

 ferent individuals, involves first disturbances to the general health, and 

 later loss of consciousness, while the centers of the medulla remain func- 

 tional. In general it may be said that the body stands a fall better than 

 a rise in its temperature. A rise of only 2 or 3 C. causes very severe 

 disorders, and experience has shown that a temperature of 41-42 C. con- 

 stitutes a very dangerous symptom. And yet a man can endure still higher 



FIG. 149. The temperature of the body after death 

 (Niederkorn). , typhoid fever (the 



temperature in degrees centigrade is given at 



the left). , pulmonary consumption 



(temperature at the right). The abscissae repre- 

 sent hours after death. 



