Hydrodynamic model of heat stroke

This work presents an hydrodynamical model of heat stroke, which is a physi opathological state of stress, due to an exposure of animals to an ambient temperature of approximatively 40 degreesC during two hours. The evolution of body temperature during this stress process is characterised by three ph ases. A first phase of increase is followed by a plateau which occurs befor e a second phase of increase which can be lethal. The model is based on the analogy of a boat progressively caught in a whirlpool. The evolution of th e degree of freedom lost by the boat is mathematically analysed and this st udy leads to the same three phases. The theoretical curves calculated durin g this study are well in agreement with the experimental curves obtained wi th animals. This analogy is compared to a previous one which has been made during another experiment with animals constrained by chemical intoxication s. It seems that stress can be considered as a vital vorticity and that hyd rodynamic models are powerful tools in understanding this physiopathologica l state.