August 23rd, 2009
By Howard Sachs, MD, PhD.
Throughout medical school, we learned of the exquisite body devices for controlling body temperature. The human brain puts into action sweating and pulmonary devices to lower the body temperature, but hardly in the face of the madness of nature, bringing the ambient temperatures to over 100 degrees. On the other hand, when the atmospheric temperature falls, the brain activates metabolic pathways in muscle that are heat producing, a good reason why women, without as much muscle as men and with more body fat are usually complaining of the cold. But, obviously, body control of temperature was insufficient in the face of the power of nature. And so mankind had to devise technical devices such as air conditioning and central heating to create a livable environment. But have we overdone it? I say this when I meet the cold blasts of air conditioning on entering the Inn from the brutal outdoor humid heat, or from the icy winds in December to an overheated lobby? Or is it because the staff entrusted with regulating the temperature, stem from climates ranging from the equatorial Philippines to the Arctic circle? Hence, I observe women seated wrapped in sweaters with the outdoor temperature of 105.
No comments:
Post a Comment