A COMPARISON OF THREE ELECTRICAL METHODS OF PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL HYPERTHERMIA

Abstract

There has been considerable interest of late in various methods of producing artificial hyperthermia in patients. A comparison of three available "electrical" methods was undertaken in this laboratory in order to study the specific effects, if any, to simplify the procedures used and to reduce the cost of installation and operation of the equipment, if possible. Various workers have reported the use of (<i>a</i>) hot baths,¹(<i>b</i>) "diathermy currents" (1,000 kilocycles²), (<i>c</i>) radiothermy (10,000 kilocycles³), (<i>d</i>) enclosed bags containing heaters,^2eand other methods. Many physicians have utilized chemicals or bacterial products for producing fever. Malaria has had a wide usage, mainly because of the apparent simplicity of the clinical procedure. Careful observation of the latter method, however, has demonstrated many of the concurrent physiologic changes common to all methods (blood pressure fall, cardiac or respiratory embarrassment and the like). There are some disadvantageous after-effects of the