[at-l] Cold Questions

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Several good questions. I suspect much has to do with resetting the
biological thermostat, body differences, dietary variations and other
variables. You still have to manage to maintain core temps at 98.6F
whether you live inside the Artic Circle or in Calcutta. There is no
real reason room temperature should be 72F rather than 50F, as long as
you have means to maintain your core temp. At least British beer would
taste better.

I wonder about your handwarmer anecdote. Where did you put the
handwarmers? I'd put them over my kidneys if I felt them necessary, and
not on my hands. I suspect your shivering helped you warm up your
sleeping bag and shelter. 

I think you are finally asking the key question of what is hypothermia
and how do you detect it. I wish I had my Wilderness Medical Society
manuals on me right now, but suspect a quick google.com search on
hypothermia would give you very good info. For instance,
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hypothermia.html is pretty broad.
The third link under "General/Overview" goes to an excellent Princeton
University outline.

The early symptoms include feeling cold and shivering. When the
shivering stops, the bad things are beginning to happen. The earlier
comment to look out for the 'umbles is one of the most important
points, far more important than specific temperature numbers. Take a
read of the article and let us know if you have further questions.

Bill... 


--- David <dfaddleton@mindspring.com> wrote:
> I've been reading with interest the posts on hypothermia and I have a
> question to put to the physiologists on the list. The question has to
> do with acclimitization, or learning to live in a cold environment,
> or the difference between *feeling* cold (subjective) vs objective
> hypothermia . . . 
> 

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