Re: 1 2 3 Testing of heat theories

From: Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...>
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2005 11:34:48 -0000

> by the afternoon I'm expecting 27. At which point I will want to lie
down in
> the shade with a fan and a cool drink. (What I'll actually be doing is
> watching a battle, dressed in full corset and crinoline, and
supplying water
> to the participants, who will need it!).

And the next day... oh dear. Extreme heat theories tested. We know cars standing in the sun registered about 37, we know one tent interior was measured at 38. Official measurements will have been in the shade - but we weren't in the shade. I got my first go at playing with a cannon, and "fighting" while literally under fire, due to interesting placement of a ground charge or two.

AFAIK, of the 600-odd participants, about a dozen simply refused to take part (they'd been told it was full jackets or not at all), three were carried off the field, four were hospitalised due to heat stroke, and perhaps a dozen more (including me) collapsed after the battle due to less severe heat stroke and got treated by first-aiders and paramedics on the spot. One of whom had also collapsed the previous day...

This is with everyone carrying a litre of water, and a cease-fire to allow water refills and drinking sessions.

On the whole, I think "far too hot" is a fair description. It's no good trying to deal with that by just drinking plenty. You can't keep up with the dehydration. Half an hour after the battle, having drunk an extra couple of litres, I still hadn't started sweating again.

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