The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-07
..rEent IL Lifc...Cold is De.th.''
rscten,tfic Americana

There Is no greater fallacy than the
opinion OF many, particularly the young
and strobg aud vigorous, that winter-es-
pecially a sharp, frosty one, with plenty
OF snow--is the most healthy season Of
the year. Very few persons seem to rea'-
iZc the fact that cold is the condition Of
death, and that in both warm and cold
climates it is our unconscious effort to
maintain our bodily heat at temperature
OF ninety-eight degrees that wears US out.
To this temperature, called blood-heat," !"
every cubic inch OF oxygen that serves to
vitaliZe our blood must be raised by our
own bodily heat, or life ceases. Since in
cold weather the maintenance OF sufil-
cientIy elevated bodily temperature becomes
very often too great for our strength the
advent OF d severe winter is really more to
be dreaded than visitation OF pestilcnce.
The saying, Heat is life--cold is deatb,'
has striking illustration and confirmation
in the reports now regularly submitted by
DR.. Russell TO the Glasgow Sanitary Com
nittee. The death-rate rises and falls with
the regularity Of the thermometer. So many
degrees less heat, so many more deaths, and
vice uerSd. In one of his fortnightIy reports,
DR.. Russell says: ''The death-rate In the first
week OF the fortnight was twenty-oDe, and
in the second week twenty-five. The mean
temperature in the former week was 40.8
degrees Fahrenheit. in the latter 39.5 de-
grees." He attributed the low rate OF the
first week to the high mean temperature OF
the preceding fortnight. which was 4703
degrees, and adds: s'This Is a good illus
tration OF law which we frequently OBJ
serve in these reports Of temperature and
death rates-that week Of low tempcra-
ture produces rise in mortality the week
following" In our climate it would pre-
badly be difficult TO find more frequent
cause of serious ailments than taking
cold. Whatever weak place we have,
whatever constitutional disorder we be SUBJ
iect to, cold will surely discover. We take
colds because our vitality is too low to ward
OFT the effects OF the reduced temperature
around us. AS matter OF first Importance,
then, to resist cold and the various derang<-
ments of the system consequent, it IS neces-
sary by proper nutrition to maintain our
natural animal heat; second, to retain this
heat by sufficient quantity of clothing !;
third, to regulate with care the temperature
OF the air we breathe. Contra any to the
opinion current among lovers of cold
weather, fire in bedroom in tue
winter is cheaper and better than 4
doctors bill; for, owing to our inactive
condition during sleep, the circulation OF
the y1talizing blood is both slow and imper-
feet, 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 having caught
one feels cold chills creeping up the back.
let him apply mustard plaster to the bot
tom OF the spine and lower part OF the back
at once; and by so doing he may avert a
dangerous illness before it is too late and
medical advice can be procured. 1t should
never be forgotten that cheat is llfe-cold
is DEATH"