366 Mr. E. M. Corner and Dr. J. E. H. Sawyer. [Apr. 4, 



Owing to the obvious errors that enter into the composition of such 

 a table, it was decided not to continue it into details. The nature of 

 the disease would be expected to affect the death changes of temperature 

 far more than the mere duration of the illness would. But one point 

 stands out in the above table, namely, that the shorter the illness the 

 greater the number of cases in which variations of temperature are 

 found. How far this is relative or absolute has not been calculated, for 

 the reasons which have just been given. The greatest number of rises 

 are found in short illnesses ; but the corresponding statement, as 

 founded on the above table, which is composed only of surgical cases, 

 does not hold good for the falls of temperature, but, as will be seen 

 later, there is distinct evidence that sudden depressions of temperature 

 as death approaches occur frequently in diseases of long duration. 



The disease which brings about the fatal termination may be regarded 

 as the most important factor in causing the changes of temperature 

 which occur as death approaches. The influence of the disease upon 

 the character of the pyrexia, when death is associated with a rise of 

 the bodily temperature, has already been slightly indicated. The 

 following diseases are those in which the greatest variations were 

 found : — 



Medical Cases. 



Eise of 8°. — Acute yellow atrophy of the liver. 



7°. — Septic meningitis, tubercular meningitis, typhoid fever 

 (haemorrhage, preceded by a fall of temperature). 



6°. — General tuberculosis, cerebral haemorrhage, septic 

 meningitis, peritonitis, marasmus and diarrhoea. 



5°. — Peritonitis; intussusception, preceded by a fall (two 

 cases) ; general tuberculosis (three cases), pneumonia 

 (two cases), diphtheria, chronic renal disease, 

 carcinoma of the liver, intestinal obstruction, 

 carcinoma of the small gut, hemiplegia, ulcerative 

 endocarditis, acute yellow atrophy. 



The list of diseases for the smaller elevations of temperature is too 

 long for reproduction. Two points are clearly seen in this table — that 

 in severe toxic diseases a large rise of temperature is common, and that 

 in heart diseases it is a rare affection. 



Surgical Cases. 



Eise of 10°. — Fractured base of skull. 



9°. — Fractured spine, fractured skull, burn. 



8°. — Strangulated hernia and peritonitis, tetanus, pyaemia. 



7°. — Septicaemia, intestinal obstruction and peritonitis, 

 fractured vault of skull, fractured base, burn (two 

 cases), pyaemia, suppurative nephritis, septic 

 broncho-pneumonia. 



