The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-02-11
GreisiltgJ State So,trnaI
WEDNESDAY, EVEN'G, FEB. II, 1874.


H
Experience has shown that it is not so
much the absolute lowness Of the tenn.
perature which gives rise to colds, as sud-
den changes from a higher to . lower.
According to DIR. Rosenthal, when the
surface of healthy animal is exposed to
cold the cutaneous vessels contract, and
by thus combining the blood to the inte-
rior of the body, prevent its cooling and
preserve the temperature of the vital
organs unless the application of cold
be continued fer a considerable time.
This is not the case when the animal
has been previously exposed to the warmth.
The cutaneous vessels become paralyzed
by the heat, and remain dilated after the
cold has been applied. The blood is thus ex-
posed over large surface, and exposed rap
idly cooled, even though the temperature of
the surrounding medium is not very low.
In Rosenthal's experiments, animals were
kept in a temperature of about 81 Q E.
The temperature Of the animals them
selves quickly rose during their confne-
ment to Ill degrees or 113 degrees. After
their removal it not only sank to the nor
NAL temperature, but even below, so that
an animal which was from ITO degrees to
III degrees in the warming apparatus, fell
to 9S.S degrees, and renamed at that for
several days, although the room in
which it was kept was moderately warm.
Confinement in close Office, hot theatre, or
crowded ballroom, will have similar
effect on man. From such places people
pass out into the cool, open air, or some.
times even purposely station themselves in
draught. The blood, which is coursingl
through the dilated vessels of every part.
of the surface, is rapidly cooled,
and ON its return to the inter-
nal organs, cools them much more quickly
than it could have done had the person
simply been exposed to cold without dia-
ton of the vessels by previous warmth.
Rosenthal lays much stress on the great
effect of sudden cooings in bringing on
cold, the sudden change in the tenn
perature of the blood producing an irri-l
tating effect, and inducing inflammation
in any weak organ in way that grad.
nal alteration would not do. 1t would
seem, however, that the alteration must
be from temperature above to one below
the normal temperature of the blood, and
not mere reduction from one considerably
above the normal to one at or it. When
much heated we may stand for short
time in a.cool atmosphere with IMMUNITY
but if we stand long enough to produce
SILVER, We run great risk of catching cold.
The fact that it Is more dangerous to sit
for long time than for a short time in
wet clothes, appears to indicate that a con-
siderable and more gradual cooling, such
as may then occur, will produce similar
effects to single cooling suddenly effected
by exposure to cold draught, after being
in warm room. The effect OF chill in
causing infammations may be partly due to
the effect of cold on the tissues themselves,
and partly to the congestion which will
occur in some parts when the blood is
driven out by others by the contraction of
their vessels Every body knows the ben
eficial effects of cold baths, cold sponging,
ETC., in, hardening" persons, as it is
termed, SO that they are able to face al
most any weather and endure sudden
changes Of temperature without injury.
Rosenthal considers that the frequent ap-
plication of cold water or cool air increases
the tone of the cutancous vessels, so that
they do not become so much relaxed by
heat as to be unable to contract with suhi-
Gent force when necessary. The power
of regulating the temperature is thus pre-
served, and the person is prevented from
catching cold.