Heat stroke is almost exclusively a disease of the elderly, says Michael Parchman, assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Oklahoma. In Parchman's state, the nation's third hottest, 94-degree temperatures are ``normal.``

``One of the criteria for heat stroke is a body temperature of about 104 degrees (Fahrenheit) or greater,`` says Parchman. ``One of the biggest differences is that these people are not sweating; their skin is very dry and hot to the touch, and they may be very pale, because the body is trying to help the circulatory system by pulling blood into the internal organs, away from the surface of the skin.``