Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-06-30
WHOLE NO. 1924.
Cold and Damp.

We wish to refer to certain errors
and causes of disease. that are not rare
III cold and damp seasons of the year.
| Catching cold is not often induced by
exposure to simple cold, but where cold
combines with damp,the company may
do large amount of harm. The first
error. worthy OF thought, is wearing an
| overcOat. or furs in we'll warmed
church during the usual services Pos
sibly such garments may be needed to
warm some wearers into due degree
of interest in the subject the preacher
may discuss.
1t can hardly be necessary to say,
that damp clothing on entering the
house should be removed, lest it should
increase the radiation of heat and SO
rapidly reduce the temperature of the
skin and more and moro augment the
sad results. Those who are feeble and
delicate, may take a warm bath, or soak
their feet, rub the surface to glow and
drink some hot fluid, as hot milk. beef
tea, or best of all, hot lemonade.
These hot drinks may safely urge tho
heart to increased activity, drive the
blood to the outer surface and relieve
the fullne5s of the inner organs.
, second error in damp and chilly
seasons of the year is exposure TO
drauyht of air, as sitting at an open
window. or in an open door, or at the
corner OF a street, or sitting in ve-
hicle whose back is open.
1t is wise to avoid these exposures
as much as possible, and equally wise
to protect the chest by extra clothing,
lest draught of cold and damp should
check the perspiration and drive the
blood to the inner organs and thus in
luce suffering and disease.
Still another error, or way of catch
ing cold is putting on Overcoats that
have been long hanging in some cold
place. Cold outer garments should be
somewhat warmed, before they are put
on, and then when we reach our homes,
let the garment remain upon the person
until its chill has been removed.
Still another way of catching cold is thin.
ly covering the feet. For several wears
we have worn cotton stockings and over
them WOODEN ones. This way of cloth
ing the end of the lower limbs we have
found sufficient to keep our feet dry aud
warm, instead of moist and cold. Rub
Der Overshoes should not be worn for
perspiration of the feet, check the evap-
Grafton and leave the feet damp and
cold. Rubber boots are worse than
shoes. because they generate larger
amount of perspiration and lessen the
amount OF evaporation. and 80 soon
place the feet in sOdJen state. Those
who have tender feet and so suffer are
IN dangerous condition. Such is the
connection of the lungs and feet. that
the coldneSs and dampncss Of the latter
imply that the lungs are inclined to be-
come diseased. Ladies', especially,
should keep their feet warm and dry.
For this purpose arctics are efficient. II
riding, or if not. in cold and wet seas
ons,they should wear thick wooden hose
and the arctics made expressly for their
use. Cold and dampness of the feet
indicate poor circulation of the blood
and may be usually removed by plung-
ing them into cold water, wiping
them dry and then rubbing them Wig
Orously with mittens of crash. or hair.
If simply rubbing the feet does not
promote the circulation of blood, rub
them with pulverized ginger. This
treatment may need pursuing for sew
eral weeks. but the time and labor
spent will amply be repaid.
Rubber OvercOatS or cloaks are by no
means healthy. They retain too much
heat and perspiration, and prevent cvap-
Grafton not of the feet alone, but of the
whole surface of the body. They
should not be worn except when abso-
lutely necessary, and for short time.
In the moist condition of the skin they
usually produce, they expose the wear
er in cold seasons of the year to the
danger of catching cold. Children
running from the inner to the outer air
expose themselves so often to taking
cold that they need the constant watch
ing of the mother. They need COM
pletc suits of under-clothing. They
need thick stockings and over-leggings.
and thick coats and cotton and Woolen
socks when they expose themselves to
the inclemency of our usual winter
weather The mother may need to
often change their clothing SO as to
adapt it to the temperature in which
they live and move. Children should
have more clothing rather than more
heat by artificial means, or if the Sleep
ing rooms be too warm the clothing
should be gradually diminished.
Experience must teach the mother
how much children need and not pro-
duce perspiration, which is always to
be avoided, because it makes the skin
delicate aud tender. In sleep the body
loses nearly one degree of temperature.
All the functions are less active than
in waking hours. Delicate children
or adults who easily take cold may
wear Overalls of muslin and over these
overalls of flannels. Those children
who are restless and throw their arms
and legs about may need wooden socks
attached to their flannel overalls. Some
children are in the constant habit Of
throwing off the bed clothes. For such
children we have repeatedly advised
that the night clothing be cotton and
flannel overalls, with stockings at
tached in place of cotton and flannel
gowns. .--Pr0irie Farmer.