Cold Quote by Mors Kochanski
“Some Native people suggest that one should test how cold the hands are by touching the thumb to the little finger of the same hand. As soon as you cannot carry out this exercise you are reaching a dangerous state of incapacity and you should immediately take steps to warm up.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Survival, 1996
Testing hand coldness by thumb‑little‑finger indicates when the body is failing to maintain temperature, signaling urgent need for warming.
In simple terms: Cold hands show dangerous loss of heat.
Key Takeaway
Warm up immediately when you can’t do the test.
Themes
survival
self‑assessment
health
temperature
Mood
alert
practical
caution
Type
advice
instructional
When to use this quote
- hiking
- cold weather camping
- emergency rescue
- mountaineering
Key Concepts
thermoregulation
risk detection
physiological cues
Questions to Reflect On
- How often do you check your hand temperature?
- What other signs indicate dangerous cold?
A Different Perspective
The test may not detect internal hypothermia early enough.
![“This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day [as a Fairfax Justice of the Peace] since I have been at Home. I wish I knew where to get a good one myself; for I find cold Sheets extreamly disagreeable.” quote by George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b92/george-mason-8435_bedfellows_this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young_3953.jpg)
