The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-01
" Catching Cold"

A large number of fatal diseases result
from taking cold, and often from such
slight causes, apparently, as to appear in
credible. But, although the causes are
various, the result is the same, and arises
from the violation of single principle, to
wit, cooling off too soon after exercise.
Perhaps this may be more practically in
structive if individual instances are named,
which, in the opinion of those subsequent
ly seeking advice in the various stages of
consumption, were the causes of the great
misfortune, promising that when the cold
is once taken, marvelously slight causes
serve to increase il for the first few days
causes which, under ordinary circum-
stances, even a moderately healthful sys-
tenn would have wardcd off.
Rachel, the tragedieDne, increased the
cold which ended her life, by insufficient
clothing IN the cars, travelling from New
York TO Boston; this YVES her own state
ment.
The immediate cause of the last illness
of Abbott Lawrence, the financier and the
philanthropist, was an injudicious change
of clothing.
An eminent clergyman got into cold
bed in mid-winter, fifteen minutes after
preaching an earnest discourse; he was
instantly chilled and died within forty
eight hours.
A promising young teacher walked two
miles for exercise, and on returning to his
room, it being considered too late to light
a fire, sat for half an hour reading book,
and before he knew it chill passed over
him. The next day he had splitting of
blood, which was the beginning of the end.
A mother sat sewing for her children to
a late hour in the night, and noticing that
the fire had gone out, she concluded to re-
tire at once; bat thinking that she could
finish" in few minutes, she forgot the
passing time, until an hour or more pass
cd, and she found herself thoroughly
chilled" and months illnoss followed to
pay for that one hour.
A little cold taken after public speech
in Chicago, so "little" that no attention
was paid TO it for several days, eliminated
in the fatal illness of Stephen A. Douglas.
1t was a slight cold taken in midsummer,
resulting in congestion of the lungs, that
hurried Elizabeth Barrett Browning to
the grave within a week. A vigorous
young man laid down on an ice chest on a
warm summers day, fell asleep, walked up
in chill which ended in confirmed con-
sumption, of which he died three years
later. A man in robust health and in the
prime of life began tho practice of cold
bath every morning on getting out of bed
and standing with his bare feet on zinc
floor during the whole operation; his
health soon declined, and ultimately his
constitution was entirely undermined.
Many a cold, cough and consumption
are excited into action by pulling off the
hat or overcoat as to men, and the bonnet
and shawl as TO women, Immediately on
entering the house in winter, after walk.
An interval of at least five or ten minutes
should be allowed for however warm or
"ciose the apartment may appear on
first entering, it will seem much less so at
the end of five minutes, if the outer gar
ments remain as they were before enter
ing. Any one who judiciously uses this
observation, will find multifold reward
in the course Of lifetime. -Ereldags.