Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 3 (of 5)Law, James
Science
Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 3 (of 5)
Law, James
Veterinary medicine
This appears as an exaggerated form of the general sense of relaxation,
weakness and languor which follows on prolonged violent exertion in a
hot atmosphere. There is more or less impairment of the vaso-motor nerve
centre in the medulla, relaxation of the capillary system, and flagging
of the heart’s action, which loses its customary stimulus, by reason of
the defective supply of blood returned by the veins. This may become so
extreme that the patient dies by syncope. In other cases the paresis is
mainly shown in the vaso-motor system, and its centres in the medulla,
the blood is delayed in the distended capillaries and veins, it becomes
overcharged with carbon dioxide, the heart’s action is accelerated and
feeble, the pulse rapid, weak and fluttering, perspiration breaks out on
the skin, and the temperature is normal or subnormal. The muscular
weakness, the flaccid condition of the facial muscles, and general
depression suggest a state of collapse. This condition is not
necessarily due to exposure to the intensity of the sun’s rays, but may
come on in animals subjected for a length of time to artificial heat,
and especially if the air is impure, and if the subject has to undergo
severe physical exertion.
_Treatment._ In slight cases of this kind a stimulant is usually
desirable and ammonium carbonate in bolus or solution will usually serve
a good purpose. In its absence alcohol or spirits of nitrous ether may
be given. Digitalis is of great value in sustaining the flagging action
of the heart and has the advantage that as digitalin it can be given
hypodermically when it is impossible to give ammonia, alcohol or ether
by the mouth. For the same reason nitro-glycerine may be resorted to, or
even atropia as a vaso-motor stimulant. Active friction of the body and
limbs will aid circulation and indirectly stimulate the heart, and in
case of subnormal temperature it may be supplemented by a warm bath in
the smaller animals, kept up until the normal temperature in the rectum
has been restored.
Thermic Fever. Sun-stroke.
This is readily distinguished from _heat exhaustion_ by the predominance
of the hyperthermia. While in =heat exhaustion= the temperature is
usually subnormal, in =sun-stroke= it is excessive, (108°–113° F.).
_Causes._ The immediate cause of sun-stroke is exposure to undue heat,
but this need not be the heat of the sun’s rays direct. A large
proportion of cases in the human subject are attacked during the night,
and again at sea where an attack in a passenger is practically unknown,
it is terribly common among stokers working in a close atmosphere of
100° to 150° F.
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