Although the mainstays of antipyretic treatments are drugs such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, physical methods are also used. These include tepid sponging, removing clothing, and cooling the environment with fans and improved ventilation. The most extensively studied of these is tepid sponging,the aim of which is to reduce temperature by conduction of heat from the skin into the cooler water. The sponging action ensures that the water film is constantly moving, replacing the water in con- tact with the skin with a fresh layer of cooler water, thus maximising heat conduction. Convection currents and evaporation further enhance heat loss