Fever — New Perspectives on an Old Phenomenon

Ever since Wunderlich's classic monograph in 1868 on the use of the clinical thermometer, measurement of the patient's body temperature — one of the four vital signs — has become routine. Wunderlich's prophetic words are worth quoting: "The more my observations were multiplied the more firmly rooted did my conviction become of the unparalleled value of this method of investigation, as giving an accurate and reliable insight into the condition of the sick."1 Although factitious fever is widely recognized, the converse (i.e., falsely low body temperature) is not often appreciated.The article by Tandberg and Sklar in this issue presents . . .