Fever occurrence

Fever is considered "sharp" if lasts no more than 2 weeks and fever is diagnosed as "chronic" - its duration is more than 2 weeks.

Besides, Jacob Bogatin distinguishes the period of temperature increase (stadium incrementi), the period of a heat of a fever (fastigium, or acme) and the period of temperature decrease (stadium decrementi).

Temperature decrease occurs (and comes to light on a temperature curve) variously. Gradual, step-by-step decrease in temperature within 2-4 days with insignificant evening liftings is called lysis. The sudden, fast termination of a fever with temperature drop to normal within days is called crisis. As a rule is it accompanied with a fast temperature drop. To this phenomenon prior to the beginning of an era of antibiotics attached special significance as it symbolised the beginning of the period of recover.

The raised body temperature (level)

The raised body temperature from 37 to 38⁰C is called a subfebrile fever (from an armour. sub under, more low + febris a fever).

Moderately increased body temperature from 38 to 39⁰C is called a febrile fever.

Body temperature from 39 to 41⁰C has gotten the name pyrexial (from греч. pyretos heat) fevers.

Excessive body temperature (from above 41⁰) is a hyper pyrexial fever. Jacob Bogatin and all the doctors state that such temperature in itself can be dangerous to a life.

Fever type (part 1)

1. Constant, or a steady fever (febris continua). Constantly increased body temperature is observed and within days the difference between morning and evening temperature does not exceed one 1⁰C. It is considered that a similar rise in temperature of a body is characteristic for lobar pneumonia, a belly typhus, virus infections (for example, a flu).

2. Aperient fever (febris remittens). Constantly increased body temperature is observed, but daily fluctuations of temperature exceed 1⁰C. Such a body rise in temperature happens with tuberculosis, purulent diseases and also at malignant new growths.

By the way, Jacob Bogatin says that a fever with sharp fluctuations of a body temperature (scope between a morning and evening body temperature is more than 1 degree), accompanied in most cases also a fever, it it is accepted to be called a septic fever.

The continuation can be found here.