The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-02-28
Starving a Cold.

Though a lifelong sufferer from the
disease in various forms, from the
''snuffies" of infancy to the ''hay-fever'
of adult age, together with occasional
attacks of neuralgia, rheumatism,
throat and lung affections, etc, now
find it impossible to excite any of the
''welLknown symptoms" or. in fact,
any form of disease, though subjecting
myself to what many would consider
the most suicidal practices in the mat.
ter of exposure to the elements, so
long as l live upon a frugal diet,
chiefly cereals and fruit served plainly
-nominally two meals day; holding
myself ready, however, to skip"
meal whenever necessary, i. e., when
ever any of the symptoms of indiges-
ton, as acid stomach, hatulence, pres
sure in the region of the lungs or
stomach, ETC., warn me of having car
fied the pleasures of the table trifie
beyond the needs of the organism.
| have. in my efforts to scatch' cold.
submitted myself to exposure that to
the minds of most people would appear
OF suicidal character, wearing low
shoes and walking in snow and slop,
until both socks and shoes were satu-i
rated, sitting an hour in that condition
and going to bed without warming my
feet; removing flannel undergarmentsi
in midwinter on the approach of colder!
weather, and attending to outdoor af-i
fairs without the overcoat habituallyi
worn; sleeping with current of air
blowing directly on my head and
shoulders; sitting entirely naked in q
draught, on very cold, damp night
in the fall, for fifteen minutes beforej
getting into bed; wearing cotton night
shirt and sleeping under light bed
covers on the night following the use;
of flannel gown and heavyweight bed
clothes; rising from bed on a cold,
rainy morning, and sitting naked for.
an hour, writing, and then putting on
shirt and trousers only, the shirt al;
most saturated with rain and the
trousers quite damp. from hanging by!
the window-these and similar expert.
ments have tried repeatedly, but!
without catching cold; l become cold.
and become warm again, that is all.
In the course of my experiments,
whenever l have fed my cold as far as
/ wished or dared to 60, have, in ev-
cry instance, banished the disease by:
entirely abstaining from food for a
time; | have never known this remedy
(if applied at the very onseD to fail Of
''breaking up" common cold in: F.:
twenty-four to forty-eight hours, what
ever the age, sex or occupation of the
patient. However we may differ as to
the origin of the disorder, whenever I
can prevail upon sufferer to try this,
remedy, we come to be of one opinion
as to what will most surely and speed
lily ''cure" it.
Of course the size of the s'dose" must
bear some relation to the severity of
the case. On the first appearance of
the disease-the symptoms of slight
cold, so familiar to all-skipping a
single meal, in the case of person
who takes but two meals day habitu-
ally, or two meals, in the case of a
three-mealer, will sometimes suffice, if
the succeeding meals be very moderate
ones. l have usually, in my expert
mentation, been satisfied to s'turn'' at
the lone meal buoy" not often being
obliged to abstain longer than twenty-I
four hours. When, however, 1 have
chosen to prolong the experiment by
continuing to eat heartily, as is the
custom with people in general at such,
times, have found my experience
identical with theirs; the symptomsI
would increase in severity, and to
nasal catarrh, headache, slight fever
ishness and languor would be added
sore throat, perhaps with pressure at
the lungs, hoarseness, increased fever,
and entire indisposition for exertion.
In this case two, perhaps three days'
fasting would be required, with little
extra sponging of the skin, to COM
pletely restore the balance. Outdoor
air is desirable, and-when not del
mandihg too great exertion-exercise.
Air-baths, when there is much fever-i
ishness of the skin, are comfortable
and curative.-Dr. W. C. Page in Pop,
uLar Science Monthly.