anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第102部分

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a　associated　with　abnormal　temperatures。　On　the　evening　of　July　9th　her　temperature　was　112　degrees　F。；　on　the　16th；　it　was　111　degrees；　on　the　18th；　112　degrees；　on　the　24th；　117　degrees　（axilla）；　on　the　28th；　in　the　left　axilla　it　was　117　degrees；　in　the　right　axilla；　114　degrees；　and　in　the　mouth；　112　degrees；　on　the　29th；　it　was　115　degrees　in　the　right　axilla；　110　degrees　in　the　left　axilla；　and　116　degrees　in　the　mouth　The　patient　was　discharged　the　following　September。　Steel　of　Manchester　speaks　of　a　hysteric　female　of　twenty；　whose　temperature　was　116。4　degrees。　Mahomed　mentions　a　hysteric　woman　of　twenty…two　at　Guy's　Hospital；　London；　with　phthisis　of　the　left　lung；　associated　with　marked　hectic　fevers。　Having　registered　the　limit　of　the　ordinary　thermometers；　the　physicians　procured　one　with　a　scale　reaching　to　130　degrees　F。　She　objected　to　using　the　large　thermometers；　saying　they　were　〃horse　thermometers。〃　On　October　15；　1879；　however；　they　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　temperature　of　128　degrees　F。　with　the　large　thermometer。　In　March　of　the　following　year　she　died；　and　the　necropsy　revealed　nothing　indicative　of　a　cause　for　these　enormous　temperatures。　She　was　suspected　of　fraud；　and　was　closely　watched　in　Guy's　Hospital；　but　never；　in　the　slightest　way；　was　she　detected　in　using　artificial　means　to　elevate　the　temperature　record。

In　cases　of　insolation　it　is　not　at　all　unusual　to　see　a　patient　whose　temperature　cannot　be　registered　by　an　ordinary　thermometer。　Any　one　who　has　been　resident　at　a　hospital　in　which　heat…cases　are　received　in　the　summer　will　substantiate　this。　At　the　Emergency　Hospital　in　Washington；　during　recent　years；　several　cases　have　been　brought　in　which　the　temperatures　were　above　the　ordinary　registering　point　of　the　hospital　thermometers；　and　one　of　the　most　extraordinary　cases　recovered。

At　a　meeting　of　the　Association　of　American　Physicians　in　1895；　Jacobi　of　New　York　reported　a　case　of　hyperthermy　reaching　148　degrees　F。　This　instance　occurred　in　a　profoundly　hysteric　fireman；　who　suffered　a　rather　severe　injury　as　the　result　of　a　fall　between　the　revolving　rods　of　some　machinery；　and　was　rendered　unconscious　for　four　days。　Thereafter　he　complained　of　various　pains；　bloody　expectoration；　and　had　convulsions　at　varying　intervals；　with　loss　of　consciousness；　rapid　respiration；　unaccelerated　pulse；　and　excessively　high　temperature；　the　last　on　one　occasion　reaching　the　height　of　148　degrees　F。　The　temperature　was　taken　carefully　in　the　presence　of　a　number　of　persons；　and　all　possible　precautions　were　observed　to　prevent　deception。　The　thermometer　was　variously　placed　in　the　mouth；　anus；　axilla；　popliteal　space；　groin；　urethra；　and　different　instruments　were　from　time　to　time　employed。　The　behavior　of　the　patient　was　much　influenced　by　attention　and　by　suggestion。　For　a　period　of　five　days　the　temperature　averaged　continuously　between　120　degrees　and　125　degrees　F。

In　the　discussion　of　the　foregoing　case；　Welch　of　Baltimore　referred　to　a　case　that　had　been　reported　in　which　it　was　said　that　the　temperature　reached　as　high　as　171　degrees　F。　These　extraordinary　elevations　of　temperature；　he　said；　appear　physically　impossible　when　they　are　long　continued；　as　they　are　fatal　to　the　life　of　the　animal　cell。

In　the　same　connection　Shattuck　of　Boston　added　that　he　had　observed　a　temperature　of　117　degrees　F。；　every　precaution　had　been　taken　to　prevent　fraud　or　deception。　The　patient　was　a　hysteric　young　woman。

Jacobi　closed　the　discussion　by　insisting　that　his　observations　had　been　made　with　the　greatest　care　and　precautions　and　under　many　different　circumstances。　He　had　at　first　viewed　the　case　with　skepticism；　but　he　could　not　doubt　the　results　of　his　observation。　He　added；　that　although　we　cannot　explain　anomalies　of　this　kind；　this　constitutes　no　reason　why　we　should　deny　their　occurrence。

Duffy　records　one　of　the　lowest　temperatures　on　record　in　a　negress　of　thirty…five　who；　after　an　abortion；　showed　only　84　degrees　F。　in　the　mouth　and　axillae。　She　died　the　next　day。

The　amount　of　external　heat　that　a　human　being　can　endure　is　sometimes　remarkable；　and　the　range　of　temperature　compatible　with　life　is　none　the　less　extraordinary。　The　Esquimaux　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　extreme　north　at　times　endure　a　temperature　of60　degrees　F。；　while　some　of　the　people　living　in　equatorial　regions　are　apparently　healthy　at　a　temperature　as　high　as　130　degrees　F。；　and　work　in　the　sun；　where　the　temperature　is　far　higher。　In　the　engine…rooms　of　some　steamers　plying　in　tropical　waters　temperatures　as　high　as　150　degrees　F。　have　been　registered；　yet　the　engineers　and　the　stokers　become　habituated　to　this　heat　and　labor　in　it　without　apparent　suffering。　In　Turkish　baths；　by　progressively　exposing　themselves　to　graduated　temperatures；　persons　have　been　able　to　endure　a　heat　considerably　above　the　boiling　point；　though　having　to　protect　their　persons　from　the　furniture　and　floors　and　walls　of　the　rooms。　The　hot　air　in　these　rooms　is　intensely　dry；　provoking　profuse　perspiration。　Sir　Joseph　Banks　remained　some　time　in　a　room　the　temperature　of　which　was　211　degrees　F。；　and　his　own　temperature　never　mounted　above　normal。

There　have　been　exhibitionists　who　claimed　particular　ability　to　endure　intense　heats　without　any　visible　disadvantage。　These　men　are　generally　styled　〃human　salamanders；〃　and　must　not　be　confounded　with　the　〃fire…eaters；〃　who；　as　a　rule；　are　simply　jugglers。　Martinez；　the　so…called　〃French　Salamander；〃　was　born　in　Havana。　As　a　baker　he　had　exposed　himself　from　boyhood　to　very　high　temperatures；　and　he　subsequently　gave　public　exhibitions　of　his　extraordinary　ability　to　endure　heat。　He　remained　in　an　oven　erected　in　the　middle　of　the　Gardens　of　Tivoli　for　fourteen　minutes　when　the　temperature　in　the　oven　was　338　degrees　F。　His　pulse　on　entering　was　76　and　on　coming　out　130。　He　often　duplicated　this　feat　before　vast　assemblages；　though　hardly　ever　attaining　the　same　degree　of　temperature；　the　thermometer　generally　varying　from　250　degrees　F。　upward。　Chamouni　was　the　celebrated　〃Russian　Salamander；〃　assuming　the　title　of　〃The　Incombustible。〃　His　great　feat　was　to　enter　an　oven　with　a　raw　leg　of　mutton；　not　retiring　until　the　meat　was　well　baked。　This　person　eventually　lost　his　life　in　the　performance　of　this　feat；　his　ashes　were　conveyed　to　his　native　town；　where　a　monument　was　erected　over　them。　Since　the　time　of　these　two　contemporaneous　salamanders　there　have　been　many　others；　but　probably　none　have　attained　the　same　notoriety。

In　this　connection　Tillet　speaks　of　some　servant　girls　to　a　baker　who　for　fifteen　minutes　supported　a　temperature　of　270　degrees　F。；　for　ten　minutes；　279　degrees　F。；　and　for　several　minutes；　364　degrees　F。；　thus　surpassing　Martinez。　In　the　Glasgow　Medical　Journal；　1859；　there　is　an　account　of　a　baker's　daughter　who　remained　twelve　minutes　in　an　oven　at　274　degrees　F。　Chantrey；　the　sculptor；　and　his　workman　are　said　to　have　entered　with　impunity　a　furnace　of　over　320　degrees　F。

In　some　of　the　savage　ceremonies　of　fire　worship　the　degree　of　heat　endured　by　the　participants　is　really　remarkable；　and　even　if　the　rites　are　performed　by　skilful　juggling；　nevertheless；　the　ability　to　endure　intense　heat　is　worthy　of　comment。　A　recent　report　says：

〃The　most　remarkable　ceremonial　of　fire　worship　that　survives　in　this　country　is　practiced　by　the　Navajos。　They　believe　in　purification　by　fire；　and　to　this　end　they　literally　wash　themselves　in　it。　The　feats　they　perform　with　it　far　exceed　the　most　wonderful　acts　of　fire…eating　and　fire…handling　accomplished　by　civilized　jugglers。　In　preparation　for　the　festival　a　gigantic　heap　of　dry　wood　is　gathered　from　the　desert。　At　the　appointed　moment　the　great　pile　of　inflammable　brush　is　lighted　and　in　a　few　moments　the　whole　of　it　is　ablaze。　Storms　of　sparks　fly　100　feet　or　more　into　the　air；　and　ashes　fall　about　like　a　shower　of　snow。　The　ceremony　always　takes　place　at　night　and　the　effect　of　it　is　both　weird　and　impressive。

〃Just　when　the　fire　is　raging　at　its　hottest　a　whistle　is　heard　from　the　outer　darkness　and　a　dozen　warriors；　lithe　and　lean；　dressed　simply　in　narrow　white　breech…cloths　and　moccasins　and　daubed　with　white　earth　so　as　to　look　like　so　many　living　statues；　come　bounding　through　the　entrance　to　the　corral　that　incloses　the　flaming　heap。　Yelping　like　wolves；　they　move　slowly　toward　the　fire；　bearing　aloft　slender　wands　tipped　with　balls　of　eagle…down。　Rushing　around　the　fire；　always　to　the　left；　they　begin　thrusting　their　wands　toward　the　fire；　trying　to　burn　off　the　down　from　the　tips。　Owing　to　the　intensity　of　the　heat　this　is　difficult　to　accomplish。　One　warrior　dashes　wildly　toward　the　fire　and　retreats；　another　lies　as　close　to　the　ground　as　a　frightened　lizard；　endeavoring　to　wriggle　himself　up　to　the　fire；　others　seek　to　catch　on　their　wands　the　sparks　that　fly　in　the　air。　At　last　one　by　one　they　all　succeed　in　burning　the　downy　balls　from　the　wands。　The　test　of　endurance　is　very　severe；　the　heat　of　the　fire　being　so　great。

〃The　remarkable　feats；　however；　are　performed　in　connection　with　another　dance　that　follows。　This　is　heralded　by　a　tremendous　blowing　of　horns。　The　noise　grows　louder　and　louder　until　suddenly　ten　or　more　men　run　into　the　corral；　each　of　them　carrying　two　thick　bundles　of　shredded　cedar　bark。

Four　times　they　run　around　the　fire　waving　the　bundles；　which　are　then　lighted。　Now　begins　a　wild　race　around　the　fire；　the　rapid　running　causing　the　brands　to　throw　out　long　streamers　of　flames　over　the　hands　and　arms　of　the　dancers。　The　latter　apply　the　brands　to　their　own　nude　bodies　and　to　the　bodies　of　their　comrades　in　front。　A　warrior　will　seize　the　flaming　mass　as　if　it　were　a　sponge；　and；　keeping　close　to　the　man　he　is　pursuing；　will　rub　his　back　with　it　as　if　bathing　him。　The　sufferer　in　turn　catches　up　with　the　man　in　front　of　him　and　bathes　him　in　flame。　From　time　to　time　the　dancers　sponge　their　own　backs　with　the　flaming　brands。　When　a　brand　is　so　far　consumed　that　it　can　no　longer　be　held　it　is　dropped　and　the　dancers　disappear　from　the　corral。　The　spectators　pick　up　the　flaming　bunches　thus　dropped　and　bathe　their　own　hands　in　the　fire。

〃No　satisfactory　explanation　seems　to