Letters to the Editor
kostya
Published Letters: 15 Editor's Choice: 6
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Final comment on "Frostbite"
[Read the article: American dreamers]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Katharine,
Thank you for the additional facts relating to the children's "frostbite" injuries. The information makes the use of the word in the article far more reasonable. Raised a desert rat myself, it is a bit of a local joke that the only time people get their cameras and photograph their surrounding is after a substantial snow (which happens about once every five years). Desert people are also quite clueless when it comes to dealing with snow, whether driving in or dressing properly. When I was seven, my school closed for three days after a nine-inch snowfall. Such an event would barely register in Helsinki. Thus, the story about the kids' behavior and the mother's toleration of it make sense. Thermal tranfer from the flesh to the cold medium increases something like 20 times when air is replaced with water or ice. Obviously, they damaged their feet rather badly as they failed to to warm their feet properly when they came in. A severe frostbite is deep freezing of the flesh, resulting in gangrene and calling for amputation. A moderate frostbite would result in the white, numb tissue you describe. I apologize for the harsh tone of my previous scribble; I've read your stuff for years.