1^2 Temperature Disturbances. 



ture. In a number of affections it is marked by cJiills (trembling 

 and shivering throughout the body ) : during the paroxysm, the 

 internal temperature_is elevated from the first and continues high, 

 while the skin of the peripheral parts shows a lack of uniformity 

 in temperature, the feet, for example, being cold, the muzzle in 

 cattle and the nose in dogs, hot. The action of the heart is acceler- 

 ated, the pulse correspondingly increased in frequency, small and 

 tense ; and the respirations increased in number. The cause of the 

 chill is to be found in the spasmodic constriction of the cutaneous 

 vessels occasioned by the poisonous products of the infectious 

 agents: the loss of appetite and the occasional vomiting (in dogs) 

 may also be ascribed to a toxic influence acting upon the nervous 

 centres (Blumenthal ). The initial or chill stage lasts for from 

 half an hour to two hours, or, in cases where chills are absent, 

 for several days. The heated stage which follows, varying in dura- 

 tion with the particular disease from a few hours to a number of 

 weeks, is that in which the temperature elevation reaches its maxi- 

 mum level ; it is known as the fastigiiiin or acme (stadium acmeos). 

 In the remittant type, characterized by alternations of depressions of 

 the febrile temperature (reiiiissio)is) and succeeding reaccessions 

 {exacerbations ), the elevation of temperature manifests a number 

 of maximal points. The other s}niptoms keep pace with the hyper- 

 thermia (loss of appetite, increased thirst, general weakness, 

 diminution of the secretions, acceleration of respiration and pulse 

 rate, hot, dry skin). The intensity and duration of the fastigium 

 are expressive of the severity of the febrile disease, and estimated 

 by the height of the temperature and the strength of the heart's 

 action. In a -moderate fever the temperature should not rise beyond 

 40^ C. ; an intense fever is characterized by an elevation exceeding 

 40" C. A fever in which the cardiac action is strong and the pulse 

 tension high is said to be sthenic ; where the cardiac beat is weak 

 and without force and the pulse soft the fever is spoken of as 

 asthenic. 



In the period of febrile decline {stadium dccrcmcnti or deferves- 

 cence) the body temperature returns to normal and the associated 

 symptoms diminish in their intensity. In case the fall of temper- 

 ature takes place rapidly (in a few hours or at the most within 

 three days), sometimes with marked perspiration and profuse 

 excretion of urine, it is spoken of as crisis. Sometimes just before 

 defervescence there are noted special exacerbations of the febrile 

 state (perturbatio critica) ; incase there is a period of several davs' 



