SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Heat and Health

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS
–
August 6, 2002: Heat and Health

By Oliver Chanler
VOICE ONE:
This is Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:

 

And this is Bob Doughty¹ with the VOA Special English program SCIENCE IN THE
NEWS. Today, we tell about some health problems linked to extreme heat. And we tell
about what you can do to prevent and treat these problems.

((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people hot,
it can cause medical problems --and death.

Floods, storms and other terrible natural events kill thousands of people every year. And, as expected, we hear
much about them in news reports. We generally hear little, however, about what experts say may be nature’s
deadliest killer² --heat.

Health experts say that since the year nineteen-hundred, extremely hot weather has killed more people in the
United States than any other natural event. One year --the unusually hot summer of nineteen-eighty --heat
caused about one-thousand-seven-hundred deaths in the United States. In nineteen-ninety-five, more than six-
hundred people died in a similar heat wave in one city --Chicago, Illinois.

VOICE TWO:

To measure extreme heat, government weather experts have developed the Mean Heat Index. It measures the
average of how hot it felt all day on an extremely hot day. Experts say it is the total heat of a hot day or several
hot days that can affect health. Several hot days are considered a heat wave. Experts say heat waves often become
deadly when the nighttime temperature does not drop much from the highest daytime temperature. This causes
intense stress on the human body.

Doctors say there are many things people can do to protect themselves from the dangers of extreme heat. They
say to stay out of the sun, if possible. Drink large amounts of cool s. Wear loose clothes made of light -colored,
natural materials. And learn the danger signs of the medical problems that are linked to heat.

VOICE ONE:

The most common medical problem caused by hot weather is heat stress. Usually, it also is the least severe.
There are many causes for heat stress. These include hard work or exercise, heavy clothes, hot weather or high
humidity³. Humidity is the amount of water in the air. Several of these conditions together can raise a person’
s
body temperature above safe limits. The person perspires⁴ heavily, losing large amounts of body water and salt.

For most people, the only result of heat stress is muscle pain. The pain is a warning that the body is becoming too
hot. Doctors say drinking water will help the pain disappear after the body again has the right amounts of water
and salt. For some people, however, the result is much more serious. For people who are not in good health, heat
can make an existing medical problem worse.

VOICE TWO:

For example, doctors say some people face a greatly increased danger from heat stress. These people have a weak


or damaged heart, high blood pressure, or other problems of the blood system. Severe heat can help cause a heart
attack or stroke. Health experts say this is the most common cause of death linked to hot weather.

Doctors say severe heat also increases problems for very small children, older people and people suffering the
disease diabetes⁵. It also is bad for people who weigh too much and have too much body fat, and for people who
drink alcohol. Hot weather also increases dangers for people who must take medicine for high blood pressure,
poor blood circulation⁶, nervousness or depression.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

If heat stress is not treated, it can lead to a more serious problem called heat exhaustion⁷. Perspiration⁸ is one of the
body’s defenses against heat. It is a process during which the body releases water to cool the skin. However, a
person suffering from heat exhaustion loses too much water through perspiration. The person becomes
dehydrated.

The person ’s ability to work and think becomes sharply⁹ limited. Experts say a reduction of only four or five
percent in body water leads to a drop of twenty to thirty percent in work ability. The loss of salt through
perspiration also reduces the amount of work that muscles can do.

VOICE TWO:

A person suffering from heat exhaustion feels weak and extremely tired. He or she may have trouble walking
normally. Heat exhaustion also may produce a fast heart beat, breathing problems, headache, chest pain and a
general feeling of sickness. Doctors say people suffering from these problems should move to a cool place and
drink water.

Heat exhaustion can develop quickly. But it also can develop slowly, over several days. Doctors call this disorder¹⁰
dehydration¹¹ exhaustion. Each day, a person’s body loses only a little more water than is taken in. The person
may not even know the problem is developing. But if the problem continues for several days, the effects will be
the same as the usual kind of heat exhaustion. The treatment for dehydration exhaustion is the same as for heat
exhaustion. Drink large amounts of water, and rest in a cool place.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke if it is not treated. With heat stroke, the body temperature rises to more
than forty degrees Celsius¹². The body stops perspiring¹³. And the skin becomes dry and very hot. A person may
even become unconscious.

Doctors say that if the body temperature goes higher than forty-two degrees Celsius, the body ’s tissues and
organs begin to cook. Permanent brain damage and death may result. Immediate¹⁴ medical help is necessary for
someone with heat stroke. Doctors say treatment should begin immediately or the person could die before
medical help arrives.

VOICE TWO:

Immediate treatment should begin by moving the victim out of the sun. Then, take off the person’s clothes.
Pour water over the victim’s body. And put pieces of ice in areas where blood vessels¹⁵ are close to the skin.
These areas include the neck and under the arms. The purpose is to cool the victim as quickly as possible to stop

the body’s temperature from increasing. Experts say it is important to know the danger signs of each of the
medical disorders¹⁶ linked to hot weather. And they say you should know what to do if the signs appear.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Experts say water is important for many health reasons. The body itself is mostly water --more than sixty-five


percent water. Water in blood carries hormones¹⁷ and antibodies through the body. Water in urine carries away
waste materials. Water also is needed for cooling the body on hot days, and when we are working or exercising.
Water carries body heat to the surface of the skin. There, the heat is lost through perspiration.

Health experts say adults should drink about two liters of water each day to replace all the body water lost in
urine and perspiration. They say people should drink more than that in hot weather. They say we should drink
water even before we start to feel like we need something to drink. This is because we sometimes do not feel
thirsty until we already have lost a lot of body liquid.

VOICE TWO:

In hot weather, drinking cold liquids is best. They do more than just replace lost body water. Cold liquids also
help cool us faster than warm liquids. This is because they take up more heat inside the body and carry it away
faster.

However, researchers say that sweet drinks are not good to drink in hot weather. The sugar slows the liquid from
getting into the blood system. Tea and coffee also are not effective. Doctors also warn against alcoholic¹⁸ drinks.
Alcohol speeds the loss of body water through urine.

VOICE ONE:

In addition to drinking lots of cool water, doctors say there are other things to do to protect against the health
dangers of heat. Stay out of the sun, if possible. Wear loose, light-weight and light-colored clothes. Wear a hat or
other head cover while in the sun. Eat fewer hot and heavy foods. And when possible, cook foods during cooler
times of the day. If possible, rest more often. Physical activity produces body heat.

Health experts say these simple steps can prevent the dangerous health problems linked to heat. They will prevent
sickness, help you feel better and may even save your life.

(THEME)

VOICE TWO:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Oliver Chanler. It was produced by Caty Weaver¹⁹. This
is Bob Doughty.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for more news about science, in Special English, on the Voice
of America.

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1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

3 humidity   

n.湿度，潮湿，湿气

参考例句：

• The house is not comfortable tonight ,because of the high humidity.由于湿度高，今晚屋子里不舒服。
• It's difficult to work because of the humidity.由于空气潮湿，工作很困难。

4 perspires   

v.出汗，流汗( perspire的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The latter has neither hens nor chicks, and only thinks of himself and perspires verdigris. 那风信公鸡既没有母鸡，也没有小鸡。他只想着自己，满身铜绿！ 来自互联网
• On an average day you take 15,000 steps and foot perspires 200 ml of sweat. 平均每一天你的脚要迈15,000步，同时分泌出200毫升的汗液。 来自互联网

5 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

6 circulation   

n.循环，流通，传播，发行，发行量

参考例句：

• There is a large circulation in the musical public.在音乐界销路很广。
• The ideas have been in circulation for some time.这些想法已经流行了一段时间。

7 exhaustion   

n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述

参考例句：

• She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
• His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了，显然是太累了。

8 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

9 sharply   

adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地

参考例句：

• The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
• Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。

10 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

11 dehydration   

n.脱水，干燥

参考例句：

• He died from severe dehydration.他死于严重脱水。
• The eyes are often retracted from dehydration.眼睛常因脱水而凹陷。

12 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

13 perspiring   

v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活，身上大汗淋漓的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• So they "went it lively," panting and perspiring with the work. 于是他们就“痛痛快快地比一比”了，结果比得两个人气喘吁吁、汗流浃背。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

14 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

15 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

18 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

19 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。