Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-12
Starving n Cold.
Or. C. E. Page in Popular Science Monthly.

Or. c. E. Page in Popular Science Monthly
Though lifelong sufferer from the disease in
various forms, from the 'snuffies" of infancy to
the "hay-fever" of adult age, together with oc-
casional attacks of neuralgia, rheumatism,
throat and lung affections, etc, now find it
impossible to excite any of the "well- known
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
1--we upon frugal diet, chiefly cereals and fruit,
served planly-nominally two meals a day:
hold9g myself ready, however. to skip a meal
whenever necessary. e.. whenever any of the
symptoms of indigestion. as acid stomach. flatu-
lence, pressure in the region of the lungs or
stomach. etc, warn me OF having carried the
pleasures OF the table tritle beyond the needs
of the organism.
have, in my efforts to ''catch" cold. submit
ted myself to exposures that to the minds of
rlost people would appear of a suicidal cbarar-
ter. wearing low shoes and walking I'm snow and
Stop until both socks and shoes were saturaf ed
sitting an hour in that condition and going to
bed without warming my feet; removing fam
nei undelgarnents in mid-winter on the an
preach OF colder weather. and attending TO out
door affairs without the oyercoat habitualy
worn: sleeping with a current of air blowing d.
rectly on my head and shoulders; sitting en-
tirely naked in a draught, on very
cold, damp night in the fall. Tor fl
teen minutes before getting into bed.
wearing cotton nightshirt and sleeping under
light bed covers on the night following the
use or flannel gown and heayy-weilrht
bed-clothes; rising from bed on q cold, rainy
morning, and sitting naked for an hour writing.
ana then putting on shirt and trousers only. the
shirt almost saturated with rain and the trou-
sers quite damp, from hanging by the window
these and similar experiments i have tried re-
peatediy. but without catching cold: become
cold, and become warm again. that is all
In the course of my experiments whenever
nave fed my cold as FAR as wished or dared TO
go, L have, in every instance, banished the
disease by entirely abstaining from food for a
time; have never known this remedy a: ap-
pied at the very onset) to fall OF 'breaking up"
common cold in twenty-four to forty-eight
hours, whatever the age, sex OF occupatoin OF
the patient. However we NAV differ as TO the
origin OF the disorder. whenever can prevail
upon sufferer to try this remedy, We come to
be of one opinion as to what will most surely
and speedily 'cure" IL.
VI course the size Of the ''dose" must bear
some relation to the severity OF tie case ON
the first appearance of the dscase-the symp-
toms OF slight cold, so familiar to all-shipping
single meal in the case OF person who takes
but two meals day habitually or two meals,
IN the case OF three mealer, will sometimes SUIT
ice. IL the succeeding meals be very moderate
ones have usually, in my experimentation,
been satisfied to turn" at the 'One-meal
buoy" not often being obliged TO abstain longer
than twenty-four hours. When, however I
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 symp-
toms would increase in severity, and TO nasal
catarrh. headache, slight feverishness and IAN
gor would be added, sore throat, perhaps with
pressure at the lungs. horseness. increased fever
and entire indispositian for exertion. In this
Case two, perhaps three days fasting would be
skin, to completely restore the balance. Out
door air is desirable, and when not demanding
too great effort-eNercise. Air baths, when
there is much feverishness of the skin, are CON-
forting and curative.