A Treatise on the Effects and Properties of Cold, with a Sketch, Historical and Medical, of the Russian Campaign, Tr. by J. Clendinning

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1826. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII. OF REFRIGERANTS. We shall denominate refrigerant or frigorific, every substance solid or fluid, simple or mixed, which, when applied to any surface, whether internal or external, produces all the effects of cold. We shall include under that general name: 1. Cold air. Cool air is generally more advantageous than positively cold air, in diseases with inflammatory symptoms. Natural philosophy has not yet attained the invention of an instrument suited to lower rapidly the temperature of apartments, and produce in them real cold, with the same ease as she can gradually raise their temperature. In well-chosen apartments, however, and with the assistance of various means pointed out in works on the hygeia, we can diffuse a very sensible and agreeable coolness. At Montpellier, in 1705, there happened such an excessive heat, that scarcely an inhabitant enjoyed health out of his cellar. The inhabiting of subterraneous places convenient and sufficiently lightsome, would probably be useful in tonic summer diseases, marked by treacherous exaltation of force, which always causes apprehension and presages danger. It is certain that the sick suffer much less from heat, in summer in the subterraneous hospitals of fortified places. 2. Common water. This is the easiest way of applying cold, as it is always at hand, and as we can readily graduate its temperature. Between 65 and 80 water is cool: it is called icy when extremely low and little removed from the freezing point, as it usually is in winter, and can at any time be made by adding a sufficient quantity of ice. 3. Sea water, which is colder in proportion than fresh. 4. Cold mineral waters, natural or artificial, chalybeate, saline, sulphureous, or acidulous.' 5. Snow or ice. Those substances are exhibite...