#temperature manipulation

*See my metal refinery post for more info on what's not pictured.

*Don't forget the tempshift plates!

*This simple addition is designed to preheat a liquid for some other purpose. It works best for preheating polluted water before being sent to a polluted water boiler, or for getting it up to a specific temp for a farm.

This response assumes you’ve read this post about fevers.

Yes

it is definitely possible to have a fever that is technically a “normal” temperature. A lot of factors impact body temperature, and for people who generally run low, clinically significant fever may start at a lower temperature (below 99F).

Lower fevers can also occur if a person generally has a “normal” body temperature but has a decreased immune response, such as those with AIDS or those undergoing treatment for cancer. Their set point may only rise a few tenths of a degree, still technically leaving them in the non-fever range, but what is causing the fever (usually infection) still needs to be treated.

Whether or not symptoms of fever appear if the person is still technically in their normal range is highly individual. Someone might have a fever of 98.2F and have more/worse symptoms than someone who has a fever of 102.3F. A lot of symptoms depend on the disease at hand (people usually feel awful from the disease process instead of the fever) and level of dehydration more than their actual temperature (I could not find a written source for this. This answer is from a nurse I work with).

Things that cause (or simulate) higher base body temperature:

Recent activity/exercise

Taken in the rectum (closer to actual core temperature, higher than other methods, though)

Taken in the mouth after a hot food or beverage

High emotional state (anger/stress)

Medications/drugs (including: ionizid (antibiotic), procainamide (for bad heart rhythms), quinadine (for bad heart rhythms), phenytoin (for seizures), carbamazipine (for seizures, bipolar disorder), alpha-methyldopa (for high blood pressure), ephedrine (for colds/allergies), amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, PCP)

Afternoon or evening (temperature is highest at end of day)

Younger age

Testosterone as a primary sex hormone

12-24 hours post ovulation in those with a menstrual cycle

Fun fact- Heart rate rises about 10 beats per minute for every 1 degree above baseline (use that however you want)!

Things that cause (or simulate) lower base body temperature:

Sleep/relaxation

Taken in the armpit or groin (can be up to a degree lower)

Taken in the mouth after a cold food or beverage

Morning

Older age

Estrogen as a primary sex hormone

Ovulation in those with a menstrual cycle

Antipyretic (anti-fever) medications (only in those who already have a fever. However, if a person is already taking, say, acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain, they may not present with a higher body temperature even if they have a fever)

Ideas for using this in writing:

Ill character uses higher doses of an antipyretic like ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen to decrease their fever and get through a security/quarantine checkpoint without being flagged as ill

Character pretends to have a fever by taking a medication that increased body temperature

Character becomes extremely ill but has an immune disorder so no one notices that they have had a fever for days

Character manipulates own temperature by varying where/how they take their temperature

R E F E R E N C E S