FROST, WILLTAikt EDWARD, b. England, 1810; an English painter, chiefly of por traits. In 1839, he exhibited "Prometheus Unbound," for which he received the acad emy's gold medal. In 1843, lie won a competition prize by his cartoon " Una alarmed by the Fawns." Among his works are the "Bacchanalian Revel" and "Disarming of Cupid." is caused by cold depressing the vitality of a part or the whole of the body. The frost-bitten part is at first blue and puffy, from the current of blobd through it being suspended; then, should the cold be continued, it becomes pallid, and the pain ful tingling gives place to numbness and insensibility, and finally to actual death or mortification. Although a sudden violent application of cold may cause death of the tissues, by reducing the temperature to a degree incompatible with animal life, the most common cause of the degtructive'effects of frost-bite is undoubtedly the excessive reac tion which occurs with sudden removal 'of the cold, or the application of heat; this is especially the case with moist cold.
Baron Larrey believed that " cold was merely the predisposing cause of frost-bite, and mentions that after the battle of Eylau, the French soldiers did not experience any painful sensations during the severe cold varying from 10° to 15° below zero of Bean mur's thermometer; but when the temperature rose from 18° to 20°, they felt the first sensations of cold, and applied for succor, complaining of acute pains in their feet, and of numbness, heaviness, and prickings in the extremities. The parts were scarcely
swollen, and of an obscure red color. In some cases, a slight redness was perceptible about the roots of the toes, and on the back of the foot; in others, the toes were desti tute of motion, sensibility, and warrnth, being already black, and, as it Were, dried." Those of the men who indulged in the warmth of the bivouac fires suffered from frost bite in much larger proportion than their more hardy comrades. • In this country, most eases of frost-bite are very trifling, the most common being chilblains (q.v.). Occasionally, in severe winters, more severe cases present themselves at the'hospitals, in the persons of houseless, ill-nourished unfortunates, whose constitu tions have in many instances been enfeebled by spirit-drinking.
The treatment of frost-bite consists in coaxing back by degrees the vitality of the part; this is most prudently effected by friction, at first with snow, then with water at ordinary temperature, no warmth being applied for some time. As the coldness sub sides,' the painful tingling returns, then redness and heat; in a short time, the latter will be above the natural standard, and if not moderated,. the part will inflame, and perhaps mortify. It is well to remember that the part need not have been actually frozen for these symptoms to occur. The person with languid circulation who, coming home with cold wet feet, places them before the fire, or in warm water, may be "frost-bitten" to all intents and purposes.