The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-12-08
Something about Colds.

eases In our climate? A cold.
Are colds durable? Strictly speaking,
no. After it is fully developed, have
never known cold to be cured by med
lcal treatment. The disease runs
through certain course, and in the pop
ular phrase, ''cures itself" after greater
or less degree of suffering on the part of
the patient. It is, in the scientific
phrase, one of the f-limited" dis.
eases. But sometimes, when damaged
organ is attacked. cold may terminate
less favorably bly-sometimes in pneumonia
Or pleurisy, or even in consumption.
More frequently succession of neg
lected colds brings on chronic catarrh, y
complaint that is particularly frequent in
our trying climate.
But If we cannot actually cure cold
after it is fully developed, it is all the
more important that We should be able
to do one or two things with it-first, to
cut 1t short at the outset, before the dis
ease has time to develop itself; or Sec
ond, to prevent its running on into any
of the bad consequences that I have
| named.
We will look at these cases separately.
| And first, what is the nature of this dis
| ease which / have called incurable, but
which can still be checked in many cases
| at the outset, or even, if it should run
its usual course, may be controlled as to
| its consequences?
| A cold is an Inflammation, attended by
more or less fever; its usual cause is ex-
| posure to draught, and especially ex-
| pOsure of the feet or of the throat. 1t
| attacks the lining membrane of the nos
| trils, the fauces and pharynx, or the
| trachea and bronchi, or more than one of
| these regions; and we ordinarily speak of
these three forms as cold in the head
| sore throat and cold in the chest. A cold
| in the head begins with sneezing and
"dehuxion," or discharge from the
| nostrils; cold in the throat, with
hoarseness and sore glands; cold in the
chest. with a cough. Either form often
runs into one or both of the other forms,
but it is important to distinguish them
at the outset, as I shall point out in
| speaking of the treatment.
/. To cut short cold at the outset ::
When the cold begins sin the head, -
with sneezing, watery eyes and defluc.
| tion, the following treatment will cut it
short four times out of FIVE; but it must
| be taken at once, or at the latest within
| don't say it is a pleasant treatment.
| but it is an effective one: Fill tumbler
half full of tepid water -four ounces) ),
close the left nostril with the forefnger
of the left hand, incline the head to the
right, and holding the glass in the right
hand, press the edge of it against the
right nostril, inclining the glass, then
sniff up very slowly quantity of the So
luton, until you feel it beginning to run
down at the back part of the throat.
Reverse the operation for the other
nostril. Do not blow out the lauda.
mum and water at once, but let it
| remain minute, or until the stlnging
that it causes grows less. Immediate re-
treatment. It must be done deliberately
and thoroughly; if the symptoms are not
checked by the first trial, repeat it few
times at intervals of half an hour, and
keep within doors, if possible, for day.
[ have often practiced this operation on
myself and on patients; if carefully done
and promptly, it will break up cold in
the head before it has chance to get a
fair start. A sniff in time saves nine.
But if this treatment is put off later it is
of no use, for the Inflammation of the
nasal passages soon takes hold, and the
cold passes on into what I have called
the incurable stage, in which there is
little to be done except to palliste the
sufferers discomforts.
When the cold commences in the
throat, what shall we do? Tie up the
throat in piece of flannel (red or any
other color-the color makes not the
least difference) and by ell means stay
at home, if possible. If you know by
experience that the cold promises to be
severe one, take ten grains of Dovers
powders, and some warm drink (the bet
ter if gently stimulating, though I do
not urge this upon total abstainers) and
go to bed as early as may be. You have
an even chance of being we'll or much
better at least in the morning. A good
perspiration always helps the cure.
If the cold begins in the bronchial
tubes, the above measures should be
taken without delay. and, in addition, a
mustard poultice should be applied to
the upper part of the chest ard kept on
until the skin is red, but not long enough
to blister. A towel or linen bandage
around the throat, wet with tepid water,
often does much good; 1t should be kept
on through the night, and covered with
piece of flannel to prevent the escape
of moisture. In winter keep the room
at an even temperature of about 70 deg.
not higher.
So much for treatment at the outset.
Now word upon the other point men
toned
2. How to prevent cold from run
ming on indefinitely, or turning into
something worse: Many persons find re-
lief by tonic treatment from the start,
as by quinine or iron. But physicians
advice should always be had by those
who find that their colds are likely to
to hang on. No hard and-f fast rules
can be laid down. The main points are,
first to avoid unnecessary exposure to
cold; second, to get competent treatment
adapted to the individual case; and third,
as means of prevention, to give special
care to the question of how to clothe
ones self winter and summer, in this
most trying climate. will only say, on
this point, that there is no greater super
stition among intelligent people than that
of going with the neck unprotected in
cold weather. This exposure will do for
the very robust, but for nobody else.
But the question how to dress in our
variable climate is one that requires q
paper to itself.
Coarse Bread, or Fine.