GENERAL PATHOLOGIC CHANGES 235 



The kinds of fever are determined by the height of the tem- 

 perature. We speak of a mild fever, 101.5° to 103°F.; a moder- 

 ate fever, 103° to 105°F.; a high fever, 105° to 106.5°F.; and 

 a very high fever when the recording thermometer registers 

 106.5°F. or higher. An infectious fever is the kind that accom- 

 panies infection of the body. 



The symptoms of fever include a rise in the temperature, 

 changes in the secretions and excretions, a rapid pulse, accelerated 

 respirations, dilated nostrils, a hot dry skin, increased thirst, loss 

 of appetite, and digestive disturbances. Sometimes chills are 

 evident at the onset of fever, causing the patient to tremble and 

 shiver throughout the body. Chills are accompanied by erection 

 of the hair coat and a cold skin. These changes are due to a con- 

 gestion of the blood in the internal organs which leaves the surface 

 of the body cold, but causes elevation of the internal temperature. 



The crisis of fever is the turning-point when the temperature 

 falls abruptly. Often the crisis is accompanied by critical dis- 

 charges, such as critical profuse excretion of urine, critical diar- 

 rhea, or critical sweat. A day or two preceding the crisis the 

 temperature drops almost to normal, but immediately goes up 

 again. This is the pseudo or false crisis. Before crisis occurs the 

 temperature is higher than at any other time during the disease. 

 This is the period of critical change. Animals often die when the 

 temperature has reached its lowest point. The decline of fever 

 preceding recovery is believed to be due to the formation some- 

 where in the body (bone-marrow, liver, or spleen), during the 

 febrile process, of a large quantity of protective substances 

 (antibodies), and to the destruction of the fever-producing sub- 

 stances present in the system from the time when the protective 

 substances predominate. 



The prognosis of fever should be guarded, for we find that 

 recovery from diseases accompanied with high fever is quite 

 slow, because the body must replace the large amounts of tissues 

 destroyed by the extreme oxidation. The age, vitality, and 

 care given the patient are important aids in determining the 

 outcome. 



The course of fever may be continuous, remittent, or inter- 

 mittent. The body gives off more heat during fever than it 

 does normally at rest, but not nearlyso much as it does during 

 active exercise. It is possible for heat production during exercise 

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