The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-12-05
"Heat Is Life-Cold is DEATH"

There is no greater fallacy than tht
opinion of many, particularly the young
and strong and vigorous, that winter
especially sharp, frosty one, with plen
ty of snow-is the most healthy season
of the year. Very few seem to realize
the fact that cold is the condition O
death, and that in warm and cold eli
mates it is our unconscious effort to main
tail our bodily heat at temperature O.
ninety eight degrees, that wears us out
To this temperature, called "blood heat,
every cubic inch of oxygen that serves tc
vitalize our blood must be raised by oul
own bodily heat, or life ceases. Since in
cold weather the maintenance of suf'
fciently elevated bodily temperature YER
ry often becomes difficulty too great fol
our strength, the advent of a severe win,
ter is really more TO be dreaded than a
visitation of a pestilence. The saying
"Heat is life-cod is DEATH" has stri.
king illustration and confirmation in the
reports now regularly submitted by DR.
Russell to the Glasgow Sanitary commit
tee. The death rate rises and falls with
the regularity of the thermometer. So
many degrees less heat, so many more
deaths, and vicc versa. In one of his fort
nightly reports, DR.. Russell says: 1.-THE
death rate in the first week of the fort
night was twenty-one, and in the second
week twenty-five. The mean tempera-
ture in the former week was 40.S degrees
Fahrenheit, in the latter 1915 degrees" ."
He attributes the low rate of the first
week to the high mean temperature OF
the preceding fortnight, which was 47.O3
degrees, and adds: "This is good illus
tration of law which we frequently
observe in these reports of temperature
and death rates q week oflow temperature
produces rise in mortality the week
following" In our climate, it would
probably be difficult to find more fire.
ouent cause of serious ailments than Ia
king cold. Whatever weak place We
have, whatever constitutional disorder
we be subject to, cold will surely discover.
We take cold because our vitality is too
low to ward of the effects of the reduced
temperature around us. As matter OF
first importance, then, to resist cold and
the various arrangements OF the system
consequent, it is necessary by proper nu-
triton to maintain our natural animal
heat; second, to retain this heat by q
sufficient quantity of clothing; third, to
regulate with care the temperature OF
the air we breathe. Contrary to the
opinion current among lovers of cold
weather, fire in bedroom in the win
ter is cheaper and better than doctors
bill {; for, owing to our inactive condition
during sleep, the circulation of the vital,
izing blood is both slow and imperfect
and hence the danger of taking cold by
breathing cold air is greatly increased
A cold is the beginning of everything
that is bad. If any one conscious of hav.
ing caught one, feels cold chills running
up the back, let him apply mustard
plaster to the bottom Of the spine and
lower part of the back at once; and by
so doing he may avert dangerous ill,
ness before it is too late and medical ad.
vice can be procured. Itshould never be
forgotten that cheat is life-cold is
death.-,Scientjfic american.