DISTURBANCES OF M-ETABOLISM; RETRO- 

 GRESSIVE AND NECROTIC PROCESSES 



Faults of Heat Regulation; Hyperthermia; Fever. 



The temperature peculiar to the various warni-blooded animals 

 is constantly maintained in health at the same level within narrow- 

 limitation by the delicate and accurate regulatory mechanism of 

 the body. With every change in the surrounding temperature and 

 other external influences there occurs special adaptation of heat 

 production and heat dissipation on the part of the animal body. If 

 an excess of heat be produced within the body from exaggeration 

 of metabolism (muscular activity, ingestion of large amounts of 

 food), excessive heat dissipation follows; the cutaneous blood ves- 

 sels dilate and the system loses in consequence a greater amount 

 of heat from its surface by conduction, by radiation and if need be 

 by perspiration, as well as by free evaporation of moisture in the 

 lungs. In case the body suffers unusual heat loss (cold environ- 

 ment) heat dissipation is diminished by constriction of the cutaneous 

 vessels, and the chemical activities in the tissues increase heat pro- 

 duction by accelerating decomposition, that is. the combustion of 

 carbohydrates and fats, particularly in the musculature. Rich 

 food suppl}- and bodil\- activity increase the production of heat ; 

 and by these means and by simple diminution of heat dissipation 

 the warm blooded animal is enabled to maintain its proper tem- 

 perature in spite of marked chilling. 



The human being in state of health, possessing additional means 

 of conserving his warmth by a number of layers of warmed air 

 (clothes) about his body, maintains an average body temperature 

 of 37.2° — 37.4° C., the variation from morning to evening being 

 about one or one and one-half degrees. The horse, according to 

 Friedberger-Frohner, has a normal temperature of 37.5° — 38.5° C; 

 the cow, 38° — 39° C. ; the sheep and goat, 39° — 40.5° C. ; hog, 



