What condition requires providing a patient with plenty of cool water and salt?

The correct answer identifies heat cramps as the condition that requires providing a patient with plenty of cool water and salt. Heat cramps are often caused by prolonged physical exertion in hot weather, leading to muscle spasms due to the loss of fluids and electrolytes, particularly sodium.

When treating heat cramps, it's important to replace lost fluids and electrolytes to alleviate the muscle cramps effectively. Encouraging the patient to drink cool water helps rehydrate the body, while the addition of salt aids in restoring the necessary sodium levels, which are essential for muscle function and preventing further cramps. Rest and cooling the affected muscles are also important steps in the management of heat cramps.

In contrast, heat exhaustion may also involve providing fluids, but the focus is broader on rehydration and cooling the body rather than specifically on the replacement of salt. Hyperthermia is a more general term for an elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation, which may require medical intervention beyond just fluid and salt replacement. Dehydration indicates a deficiency of water in the body, which also requires fluid replacement but does not specifically highlight the need for salt in the same way heat cramps do.