heat cramp [AS, haetu + crammian, to fill] , any cramp or painful spasm of the voluntary muscles in the arm, leg, or abdomen caused by depletion in the body of both water and salt. It usually occurs after vigorous physical exertion in an extremely hot environment or under other conditions that cause profuse sweating and depletion of body fluids and electrolytes. The victim should be moved to a cooler place and given salt-containing fluids. Also called cane-cutter’s cramp, fireman’s cramp, miner’s cramp, stoker’s cramp. See also heat exhaustion.
