Heatstroke protection

[Rob9641]

In the museum at the Gettysburg VC, there is something that looks like the top part of a kepi that Confederate soldiers would wet down and wear under their caps to protect them from collapsing from the heat. Do reenactors use the same thing today?

 

[K Hale]

I thought they used cabbage leaves?

 

[Joey12thga]

There are a couple patents for "pads" that could be worn in the cap. There is at least one vendor who makes a repop.

 

[Republican Blues]

Of course, DRINKING plenty of WATER is an effective means of preventing the same....

 

[ole]

I wonder if they had salt tablets, or even knew about salt and LOTS of water. At least they knew that keeping the head cool went a long way toward avoiding heatstroke.

I'm told that our people in the sandbox are required to drink lots of water -- that when you really need the hydration, you are not thirsty.

Thanks for bringing that up, Rob, I was unaware that such a thing existed. It at least indicates that some recognized the problem. Now I'm wondering how many of the non-combat-related deaths could be attributed to heatstroke.

Usually we think of actual disease. It can get as hot in Pennsylvania as it gets in Georgia (although not as consistently). But it's the same heat and has the same affect.

 

[Republican Blues]

Ole, actually when you ARE thirsty, you are in danger.. we drank water to such an extent I cant look at the stuff now.. I have to flavor it with something... we had a few NCO's go down with everything ranging from heat exhaustion to one **** near heat stroking for good cause they were so busy making sure thier soldiers were hydrating that they forgot themselves. The big thngs to look for in the beginng stages are headaches, darkening urine (from clear to darker stages of yellow) and thirst.. if your thirsty your dehydrated.

 

[Michael_Schaffner]

Unfortunately, some of the steps taken at the time would contribute to rather than allay heat prostration. These include filling the canteens with tea or coffee -- though this would at least ensure that the water had been boiled. The oft-reprinted "Hints for Health" recommends rinsing out the mouth and then drinking in small amounts -- this would avoid the shock of gulping large quantities of water, but it, too, hardly contributes to decent hydration. Sir Garnet Wolsely, based on his experience, wrote (in 1869 alas) that "The old prejudice against drinking water on the march has been murdered by scientific discoveries" but that view wasn't universal. J. W. DeForest and others realized that whiskey was appropriate only -- if ever -- after an exertion, but that too wasn't known to everyone.

On the original topic, I've seen other contemporary writers realize that the extra space in the forage cap can be filled with a wet handkerchief or leaves -- any leaves, not necessarily cabbage This practice, combined with what we know today about hydration, can go a long way to ward off heat issues.

 

[hkamei]

In the museum at the Gettysburg VC, there is something that looks like the top part of a kepi that Confederate soldiers would wet down and wear under their caps to protect them from collapsing from the heat. Do reenactors use the same thing today?

We soak muslin in water and alcohol which does help cool the guys down. I've heard if you use ice water with the alcohol it can shock the system. Trevillian Station was so hot and humid this year we couldn't make enough of the stuff to keep the guys comfortable.

 

[Historyprof]

I've just been reading this and trying to convince myself it's warm. Wind chill here is about -5.

 

[K Hale]

Nothing like a nice, hot topic on a cold day!

It's amazing to me that it took actual scientific inquiry to realize that when you're hot and thirsty, you should drink some water.

 

[Craig L Barry]

The irony of it--snow and temps in the teens as far south as TN and we are talking
about ways to ward off heat exhaustion. Maybe in July we can discuss ways to keep
warm in winter weather?

 

[Republican Blues]

Dehydration can be just as dangerous in the winter time. When its cold, you are less inclined to drink. When I was stationed in Alaska we had to monitor each other and our soldiers just as if we had been in the desert. In the field we had a "Pee Point" usually under the fuel can for the stoves, where we could monitor the staining of the snow (yeah, the old yellow snow adage), to judge water intake... sounds silly, but it can happen at -40 as fast as it can at 100 and higher. This past weekend at Ft. McAllister, I made sure I was drinking often, and that my mess mates were OK as well.

 

[Joey12thga]

This past weekend at Ft. McAllister, I made sure I was drinking often, and that my mess mates were OK as well.

The Pioneers were drinking a lot!

 

[Rob9641]

They sell things now at hiking stores that hold water in - they are like scarves you put around your neck. I suppose you could wrap one up and put it in your kepi and it wouldn't ruin the 1860s effect. Or some sutler could start manufacturing the old Confederate model.

Pretty cold here in MD, too - been snowing (lake effect flurries) for over a week. Windy. Thoughts of heatstroke are helping to keep me warm.

 

[K Hale]

This past weekend at Ft. McAllister, I made sure I was drinking often, and that my mess mates were OK as well.

Haha. What happens at Ft. McAllister, stays at Ft. McAllister.

 

[Nathanb1]

In the field we had a "Pee Point" usually under the fuel can for the stoves, where we could monitor the staining of the snow (yeah, the old yellow snow adage), to judge water intake... sounds silly, but it can happen at -40 as fast as it can at 100 and higher.

That sounds so complicated

 

[K Hale]

Yeah, why was it under the fuel can? I sense inherent hazards.

 

[Nathanb1]

Yeah, why was it under the fuel can? I sense inherent hazards.

Obviously they were boys.

 

[Republican Blues]

Obviously they were boys.

Nope not boys Soldiers. It was under the fuel can becasue that was a centralized point for each gun crew, the Fire Direction Center, and Battery Ops Center. Each section monitored there own people, and the medics would check them when they made rounds. There were no dangers... everything was by long established 6th Inf Div (Light)(Arctic) SOP. It was because of my time in Alaska and in Iraq that my guys in my reeanctment unit know me for such a bear on hydration.. in the 4 years of our existance, NO ONE has gone down from heat or dehydration..

 

[Republican Blues]

Haha. What happens at Ft. McAllister, stays at Ft. McAllister.

WATER! :laugh1: