Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-04-07
On Catching Colds.

DR. SYKES THOMPSON, Professor OF
Medicine at Gresham College, London,
has recently delivered "Gresham Leo
ture" on catching colds. The following
extracts will be Of interest to our readers:
The prevention Of colds is to be accom-
plished by keeping the skin in healthy
and vigorous state, SO that 1t may at once
resume its proper and normal condition
when chills have been suddenly applied
to /, then the internal COMPOSITIONS are
avoided or removed simultaneously with
the external contraction and stagna-
zion. The habitual use of cold bath
ing in the early morning is one very
powerful means to this end; it trains
the vessels of the skin to rise Wig
orousy into renewed action after the APP
plication of chill. The relaxing infia-
ence of over heated apartments should he
avoided, because that saps the power OF Wig
orous reaction but. in cold weather, the
utmost care should be taken to have tho
entire skin efficiently protected by warm
clothing. The powers Of the system in
periods prone to the production Of colds,
and most especially when the temperature
of the external air is between 90 and 40
degrees of Fahrenheit's heat scale (for
that is the condition in which the danger
is found to be most certainly incurred.)
should be most carefully maintained by
the judcious use of sustaining food, and
by the avoidance Of every kind Of injuri-
Gus arrangement or excess. When once
internal congestion has been set up, and
the cold has been Caught" the thing 70
be done is Immediately to bring back Wig
orous circulation and exhalation in tho
skin. The Turkish bath Is one Of the
most convenient and certain OF all contriv-
anccs for insuring this object; in its alb
sence the vapor bath or hot-air bath
may be employed. The action OF tho
bath is to be reinforced by the adj
mnistraton of stimulants, first and fore
most amongst which stands cOncen-
trated food. There is one expedient
both for preventing and curing "colds,"
which was not alluded to upon this occa-
sion Says a writer in nature), but which
is, nevertheless, as powerful as any of the
measures which were described, and 1t
may sometimes be drawn upon in circum-
stances when those plans cannot be adopt
ed, in consequence of the sufferer being
compelled by the exigences Of life to con-
tinue TO meet exposure to chilling influ-
ences. This is abstinence from drink, and
liquid food Of any kind, until the internal
congestion is removed. The remedial
action through the skin does its work by
drawing away the superabundance OF the
circulating fluid from the overcharged
part But this desirable result is even
more certainly insured If the general bulk
OF the circulating fluid, or blood, is dimin-
ished by withholding supplies of the more
liquid, or watery, Ingredient which may
be done where the digestive power is un-
impaired, without in any way diminishing
the richer or more Immediately nourish-
ing portion. The instant the general
bulk Of the circulating blood is diminished,
the excess contained in the congested and
oyercharged membrains is withdrawn and
the cold is relieved. Somewhat severe
thirst sets in; but, curiously enough,
simultaneously with the occurrence of this
thirst, the congested internal membranes
grow moist and exhale gently and natural
ly in consequence of the relief of the over
charged vessels. Ali that is then neces-
sary is to keep the supply of drink down
TO the point which enables some measure
of thirst to be maintained, and during its
maintenance there is not the slightest
chance of the recurrence Of the cold.