Heads Up
Posted by Ken on August 31, 1998 at 07:47:38:
In response to The head, written by P. Bingham on August 30, 1998 at 15:42:13
]] Anyway, might they have shaved the feverish person's head to provide a cooling effect?
] That would seem likely to me. As it has long been traditionally thought that heat escapes from the feet and head. I just don't know how long that has been an assumption. So I am a little inclined to believe that it has something to do with those "humors" that the captain had gone over so well some time ago. They are tucked away in the archives.
For the very good reason that it does, although perhaps not for the reason they thought. The body cannot regulate heat loss through the head the way it can through the extremities for several reasons: 1) the blood vessels cannot withdraw very far without bumping into bone; 2) if they did & the head got less blood, it would have deleterious effects on one's thinking (-: So the head makes for a very effective radiator, which is why one's mom always nagged one to wear a hat in winter time (-: Shaving the head would help that process a little bit.
YHOS,
Snarkhunter
- Fevers and shaved heads Captain Everett 23:05:28 9/01/98
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- fever conditions P. Bingham 03:46:06 9/02/98
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- fever conditions P. Bingham 03:46:06 9/02/98
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- Long threads and bleeding P. Bingham 02:57:10 9/01/98
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