The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-12-20
Catching Cold.

Few people are aware how serious a
malady may start from catching cold.
Catching cold often means that a cold
has caught us, and may retain us with
in its grasp for long period of time.
Run over the long list of human NAL
aides man is heir to, and we may find
that catching cold is the first step in Il
long series OF diseases. Medicine may
check its course and lessen its sever
tiles, if taken at an early period. Often
we neglect the early indications of its
coming and so fail to nip it in the bud.
Severely cold and dry temperatures
are usually innocent of any harm. a
cold and dry one need inspire no fear.
Indeed. dry winter air promotes health
and strength. The human body in
health retains a normal temperature of
ninety-eight degrees even when the
outer air is sixty degrees OF more below
the freezing point. 1t is the sudden
change from warm to cold that does the
harm. But moisture added to cold does
still greater harm. Severe cold checks
the circulation in its TOnted rounds, in
creaseS its amount and movement
through its inner range and induces an
abnormal condition of all the tissues.
Experience teaches us how to restore at
once the circulation of the vital fluid to
its normal and even course, and so aid
all the organs and all the tissues to pur-
sue the natural and even tcnors of their
way.
A cold and bracing air contains more
oxygen, more vitality, than warm. We
all feel stronger and have better appc-
titcS and are better abe to digest our
food in winter than in summer. The
thing we ought to do, if we wish to re-
Sist the influence of cold and wet, and
t. avoid pulmonary disease, is TO so
clothe ourselves rs to secure uniform
temperature of body BY day and night.
We ought to guard against drafts #
moist and chilly air. We are more
liable to take cold in early spring and
late autumnal seasons than in cold, dry
winters or in summers.
Some. if not all, have found, that be
as cautious rs we may, all our care has
not prevented our catching cold. They
have found too, that bad cold, and
even mild one, will run its course in
spite OF all they can do. The sureSt
way to repel the influence of cold is
to resort to remedial means at once.
The earliest indication that a cold has
caught us should be seriously regarded.
The first indication of having taken
cold is a chill creeping over us for some
hours, after some sudden freak OF the
winds, or change of temperature. Then
comes hot and dry skin, and q quick
cr respiration. Give to the sufferer
warm blankct-bath for twenty to thirty
minutes. wipe the surface dry, place
the sufferer in warm bed. produce a
gentle persp;ration, cool him very grad
ually, and the results of having taken
cold will gradually disappear. Not
only chill, but sneczing in a child no.
titles the mother that her child has
taken cold. Sneezing is the coughing
of the nose, the outer fortress of the
respiratory organs. If the nasal mu-
cOus membrane becomes much inflamed,
watery excretions may come running
down the cheeks. The child may get
relief by nhaling the vapor of hot water
or hot vinegar and water-to a pint of
which may be added little spirits of
camphor.
Mothers may err in their efforts to
protect their hidren against catching
cold. They may keep the neck so warm
as to induce persplratlon and so render
the neck tender and susceptible to cold.
Warm mutfiers about the throat, fur
caps upon the head do not protect chill
dren or adults against taking cold, but
rather induce it. Some ladies wear
heavy furs and yet often wonder how
they have taken cold. They wear thin
shoes and hose, and so cover their heads
and necks much better than they do
their feet. They would protect them
selves much better if they kept their
feet warm and their head and neck cool
and not allow them to perspire and thus
contract cold. Have thick soles on
the shoes or boots. Shall we have no
clothing about our necks? Yes; but not
enough to render moist and tender the
surface, open the pores of the skin and
thus invite chilling influences to come
in. Some persons take cold by keeping
their mouths nearly always open. The
Creator intended that we should keep
our mouths usually shut except when
talking or taking food. The nose was
Intended to filter the air that passed
through it to the luugs.-C. II. allen,
IL. D., IN Western Rural.