Heat sensitivity due to autonomic drugs.

Abstract

Sweating is the essential mechanism by which the human body protects itself against the injurious effects of severely elevated environmental temperatures. The experience of the armed forces has shown that in desert and tropical climates a decrease in the ability to sweat is associated with a syndrome of weakness, lassitude, and increased sensitivity. 1 Under such conditions a complete failure of sweating is followed inevitably by hyperpyrexia, which may be fatal. In many American cities stroke becomes an important problem during prolonged midsummer heat waves. Almost all patients admitted to city hospitals because of hyperpyrexia give a history of a sudden cessation of sweating immediately preceding their collapse. 2 Apparently the essential feature of stroke is an acute derangement of the sweating mechanism. Authorities agree that any disease of the central nervous system gravely increases susceptibility to pyrexia. Such predisposing factors as extremes of age, alcoholism,