After you apply some wrapping around wet plaster, you might notice that the patient’s limb feels warm.
Is this simply a product of insulation?
No, it’s not just this reason.
It’s primarily because plaster and water form an exothermic reaction, so heat is released.
People can be burned by this!
- Burghardt, R. D., Anderson, J. G., Reed, R. A., & Herzenberg, J. E. (2014). Exothermic properties of plaster–synthetic composite casts. Journal of Children’s Orthopaedics, 8(2), 193-201. doi:10.1007/s11832-014-0563-6