Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-04-28

The PKSALrr OF CATcHIxs CoLDs.
We venture 10 question the necessity
of the greater part of the illness that
arises from colds. Why should people
have colds at all? Unlike many other
diseases, it is well understood how
they arise; all the conditions and
causes that produce colds are continu-
ally pointed out by physicians they
are easily measured and recognized,
and can as easily be guarded against.
All that is required is due forethought
and caution-forethought and caution
that extend to the condition of the at
moephere in the house, the kind of heat
used for warming the rooms, the
prevalence of draughts, the clothing
worn at home and abroad, the precau-
tions against sudden changes of weather,
the maintenance Of warm and dry feet,
the protection of the lungs and other
delicate or susceptible parts of the
body; all of which are essentially con-
trollable things with every one possess
ing the ordinary faculties, and endowed,
with the average share of good sense.
If it were penal offense to take cold
if cough arising from thoughtless ex-
posure were punished by q weeks i'm
prisOnment; if getting sick because of
mere incapacity to measure conditions
and arrange precautions were always
followed by q legal penalty and loss
of,respectability-catching cold would
soon be among the '1ost arts" There
is no use in having judgment if we do
not exercise it no use of brains if We
cannot employ forethought in SO simple
a thing as this. In nine colds out of
ten the victim has been too stupid to
take advantage of former experience,
too torpid to understand the nature or
necessity of preventive measures, and
too dull to detect the pslpsble circum-
stances out of which the cold his come.
A child leans not to fall down stairs
after two or three experiences of the
kind not to burn his fingers in the
CRATE after once testing the quality of
hot Goals and hot iron but adults go
on getting colds from causes that repeat
former blunders with a perversity that
is simply amazirg.-APpteton's Jour
nal.
Room DIsINFscrANTs. = Spring is
here, when the air is charged with gases
from decomposed animal and vegetable
matter. These will find their way into
dwellings-indeed they will generate
there, unless we have the means to ar
rest them, which, happily, we have, but
which, unhappily, we avail ourselves of
too little. The greatest scrubbing and
care will not prevent the accumulation
of some foul, invisible material in the
air, however we'll the rooms may be
ventilated. The human body itself is
source of noxious emanations. Some
thing in addition to cleansing has to be
resorted to-disinfectants. Now that
their virtue has become known, they
are considered indispensable in house
keeping. They are most efficient means.
There are two species of disinfectants,
the one preventing decomposition, the
other neutrslizing its product. OF the
former are copperas (sulphate of iron).
permangnate of potassa, and best of all
and cheapest, and is always at hand,
common salt. This, or any of these,
put into spittoons, sewers and other
places where decomposition threatens,
will arrest the formation of gases. But
the air is not affected by these, or to
only slight extent. This it wants the
other class, which are volatile, to do.
These are chlorine, in the form of
chloride of lime, iodine, carbolic acid
and others. Carbolic acid will destroy
the germs of putrefaction, and is the
enemy of infection. Chlorine acts both
as an antiseptic and a purifier of the
air, the latter by forming chemical
changes in the injurious compounds.
Its odor is somewhat Objectionable, as
is that also of carbolic acid iodine less
so. A little kept anywhere exposed in
a room will be sufficient. The two
classes both need to be used. They are
cheap and will purify and keep pure
the rooms, made also more pleasant bv
ventilation-smsu -m...ns to effect i'm
portep' results.
WET BooIs.-A friend writes to Eu-
Nk.k Il -