ABSTRACT
The development of fever is a metabolically costly process and independent of the cause, most of the physiological processes follow the same pattern. In the writings of Hippocrates one can recognize entities such as malaria, pneumonia, and enteric fever according to the characteristic fever charts. Excessive fever can be harmful not only to the pathogen but also to the host. The changes in red blood cells with temperature elevation are usually less striking. The endocrine system plays an important role in heat regulation and acclimatization, the regulatory mechanisms are only partially known. Prolonged elevated temperature causes histologic changes of the adrenals, with atrophy of zona glomerulosa and fasciculata and an increased mass of the zona reticulosa. The various neurologic symptoms which accompany heat stroke have histologic correlations in the central nervous system. The effect of high temperature on joints is interesting in view of the clinical implication on various rheumatic diseases.
