The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-04-02
MISCELLANEOUS
On Catching Colds
from the Radical I.

DR.. Symes Thompson, Professor of
Medicine at Gresham College, London,
has recently delivered a "Gresham Lee
ture" N catching colds. The following
extracts viii be # interest to our readers:
The prevention of colds will be accoml,-
lished by keeping the skin in a healthy
and vigorous state, so that it may at
once resume its proper and normal con
dition when chills have been Suddenly
applied to it; then the internal congps-
tions are avoided or removed simulta
neously with the external contraction
and stagnation. The habitual use of
cold bathing in the early morning is one
very powerful means to this end; it
trains the vessels of the skin to rise
vigorously into renewed action after
the applications Of q chill. The relay
ing influence Of over-heated apartments
should be avoided, because that saps
the power of vigorous reaction; but, in
cold weather, the utmost care should b.
taken to have the entire skin efficiently
projected by warm clothing. The pow
ers OF the system in periods prone to the
productions of colds, and most especially
when the temperature of the external
air is between 80 and 40 degrees of
Fahrenheit's heat scale flor that is the
condition in which the danger is found
to be most certainly incurred), should
be carefully maintained by the judicious
use of sustaining food. and by the avoid
ance of every kind of injurious derange.
uent or excess. When met inter. al
congestion has been set up. and the cold
has been "caught," the thing to be done
is Immediately to bring back vigorous
circulation and exhalation in the skin
The Turkish bath is one of the most
convenient and certain of all, contrivan-
ces for insuring this object; in IT'S alb
sence the vapor bath or hot air bath
may be employed. The action Of the
bath is to be reinforced by the admin.
tration of stimulants, first and foremoS
amongst which stands concentrated
food
There is one eypedient both fr pre-
venting and curing "colds," which WAS
not alluded to upon this occasion (says
a writer. in n%ature). but which is never
thelsss as powerful as any of the meas
ures which were described. and it may
sometimes be drawn upon in circumstan-
ces when those plans cannot be adopted.
in consequences of the sufferer being
compelled by the exigencies of life to
continue to meet exposure to chilling
Influences This is abstinence from
drink, and liquid food of any kind, un
til the internal congestion is removed.
The remedial action through the skin
does its work by drawing away the
snperabandance of the circulating fluid
from the o~vercharged parr. But this
desirable result iseven more certainly
insured if the general bulk of the eircn-
lation fluid, or blood, is diminished BY
Withholding suppl es of the more liquid.
or watery, ingredient; which may bel
done where the digestive power is nm
impaired without in any way diminishing
the richer or more Immediately nourish,
ing portion The instant the general
bulk of the circulating bleod is dimini h.
ed. the excess contained in the cong ST.
ed and overcharged membranes is wi h
drawn, and the cold is relieved. Some
what severe thirst sets in bat cnrionsly
enough, simultaneously with the occur
renee f this thirst. the congested inter-
nal membranes grow moist. and exhalr
and naturally in consequences of
the relief of tie o~vercharged vessels.
All that is then necessary is to keep
The s~upplyaof drink down to the poin,
enables some measure of thirs.
be maintained, and during its maintc-
nance there is not the slightest chance
of the recurrence of the cold.