to 13 deg..
The great capacity of water for absorbing heat renders it one of the most
useful of all substances for lowering the temperature; and it is readily
apparent that, by the means described, heat may be abstracted from the
body almost _ad libitum_, and the temperature may thus be controlled with
a rapidity and a degree of certainty which cannot be approached by any
other method. In a still more recent case, in which the same treatment was
employed, the temperature of the patient had reached 106 deg. F., in spite of
the vigorous application of ordinary measures of treatment, such as cold
compresses, etc.; but it was, in four or five hours, brought down to
nearly 100 deg. by the use of the cold enemas.
The advantages of this method are: 1. It may be employed without wetting
or moving the patient; very frequently a patient will sleep continuously
during the administration of the treatment. 2. It seldom causes
chilliness, which is frequently a disturbing symptom, especially in fevers
of a low type, and even, when the temperature is alarmingly high, causing
the patient to dread the employment of sponging with cool or tepid water.
3. It is not necessary to employ cold water, a temperature of 80 deg. or even
85 deg. being thoroughly efficient.
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