SUNSTROKE. 227 
members of the human family when similarly exposed; hence without impro- 
priety it may be said that they are sometimes victims of sunstroke. 
En passant, it is well to draw attention to the fact that there is a popular 
delusion about sunstroke that should be dispelled. 
It is not occasioned exclusively by intense heat from the direct rays of the 
sun, but other causes are generally combined to produce the result, such as over- 
exertion and consequent exhaustion. In fact, the affection known as sunstroke 
may occur in the night. Indeed, attacks between the setting and rising of the sun 
are not uncommon in large cities, among the poor people who are confined to 
small and ill-ventilated quarters. Again, atmospheric influences other than heat 
are involved in the causation of sunstroke. A hot, dry air is more easily endured 
than one of lower temperature but loaded with moisture. For instance, in 
Dakota men can work all day exposed to the sun when the thermometer stands 
much over 100°, and yet in New York, on a cloudy, wet day in August, with 
the temperature only 95°, large numbers of men and animals have been pros- 
trated. 4 
As stated, dogs when exposed to intense heat in summer, suffer from symp- 
toms much resembling those appearing in man under similar influences. But 
there is this difference, which exists in nearly all, but not all, cases. When man 
is overwhelmed by the heat he may become delirious and have convulsions, but 
such instances are very rare; and almost always he passes into a profound 
stupor, as when stricken down by apoplexy. Dogs, on the other hand, commonly 
suffer from convulsions as a consequence of intense heat. As a rule, they pass 
gradually into them, and during the early stage there is twitching of the muscles, 
and often great excitement that borders on frenzy. In this wild state they run 
blindly about, snapping their jaws, frothing at the mouth, etc. As one might 
say, they act as though they were going into a fit; and they almost always do 
have such an attack unless relief comes promptly; moreover, the convulsions 
frequently prove fatal. 
It is while in this condition of threatened spasms that so many perfectly 
harmless dogs are accused of being mad and ruthlessly butchered. In truth, 
for no nearer approach to rabies than this are communities often terrorized and 
thousands of dogs slaughtered yearly. 
All dogs do not suffer alike from intense heat. Furthermore, certain in- 
fluences lessen their ability to resist it. Improper feeding, and more especially 
of too much meat, has a baneful effect on the resistant powers; so, too, does 
exhaustion, either physical or mental. For instance, if a dog becomes very 
much excited and is long under the strain, he is in a condition in which it is 
easy for him to be overwhelmed by heat. A long hard run afield also renders 
him liable to the accident. 
Closely confined dogs more often succumb to the heat than others at liberty. 
This is especially the case with sporting dogs, for if unrestrained they naturally 
