, 1886-04-08
70 paeysNr goAroaINs oolo..


Not Enough to Protect You "suss
Harden YOURSELF Against Colo.
OF the ordinary precautions against
catching cold ! need say little. To dress
with sufficient warmth in winter, to
avoid suddenly checking the Precipitation
in summer, 10 guard against cold feet the
year around, and against accidental I'M
covering during sleep, to avoid ~draughts
and to keep warm in the cold-all these
precautions we know and practice more
or less carefully, and yet many persons,
in spite OF them all. are among the great
est sufferers from colds.
Who are these unfortunate persons
They are all of temperaments, habits and
ages. No age, no country, has not heard
their sncezings; and the chorus will
never cease until the sufferers learn this
lesson, which should be embroidered
upon every pocket-handkerchief in
Christendom: 1T is not enough to pro-
tect yourself against the cold. You must
also harden yourself against the cold"
The people. then. who catch cold are
those who depend too much upon pre-
cautions and too little upon hardening.
n the more they protect themselves
without hardening, the tenderer they
become and the likelicr to catch cold.
II is like banking a river; the higher
you build the l%evees, the worse will be
the overflow when it comes. Those peo-
pie who defend themselves only by arti-
flee against colds are the worst sufferers
from colds.
Now what regime can be recommended
to these sufferers? Certainly no extreme
or Spartan measures; for many of those
who suffer the most from colds are
delicate ladies, invalids, children, or
aged persons. To such it would often be
dangerous to recommend cold plunge
baths or long walks in rain or snow.
These are good tonics for some; but they
are for the strong, and not for the weak.
But the principle of treatment is the
same for all. These sufferers generally
nave one trait in common. They nave
coddled themselves 50 warmly as to nave
an over-sensitive skin; and this is the
great source Of colds. Happily, it is a
condition that can be nationally treated
and usually cured.
How does the trouble begini Very
often, perhaps usually, in childhood. An
anxious mother wishes to be sure that
her child hal not take cold; and if /
only keep him warm enough" she says
TO herself, arguing from the name Of the
thing-"if / can only keep him warm
enough, surely he will never catch cold"
So the child is burdened night and day,
summer and winter alike, with wraps
and coverings that keep him in perspira-
ton a great part Of the time, and this
causes such tenderness Of the skin that
catching cold on the least exposure is
inevitable. 1t is quite true that a child
should be kept warm. But the anxious
mother must bear in mind that in a
warm room or On a hot day he does not
need as much clothing as when 1t is cold.
O~verheating. in a word, is the surest pre-
paration for colds; but with each new at
tack the ignorant mother can think of
nothing better than to make the house
warmer and the clothing thicker. OF
course the little sufferers skin becomes
still tenderer, and the colds more fire.
quent. Many an active little fellow, thus
coddled, has TO spend the bright days of
winter in watching from his bedroom
windows the sports Of happier children
who are not 30 tender but that they can
face tho snow without danger.
Now what is to be done in such a case?
The treatment needed is simple enough,
though it needs intelligent care in the ap-
~plication. These are my five rules for
hardening;
1. Cold plunge baths for the com
paratively few who can bear them.
2. Cold sponge baths daily for the ma
jority Of healthy persons.
3. AS much outdoor exposure, sum
mer and winter, as possible, always with
clothing according to the season.
4. Avoid sleeping too warm at night;
the golden mean in the matter is the
best.
8. Many persons take cold by having
cold feet, and for these the cold douche
TO the feet is q most effective cure. II
stimulates the nerve and the arteries Of
the feet, and produces a brisk reaction Of
warmth. A single application will
sometimes set cold feet glowing that
have not been warm for a whole
winter. In practice l have found
this a most effective remedy, and
while it is not TO be used absolutely with
out precautions of times and seasons,
yet there are few persons so delicate as
not 10 bear perfectly well this moderate
and local exposure to cold, or 10 profit
by it, Often it will entirely cure the
lifelong affection OF cold feet. The
colder the water the better; and IL no
one has not the convenience OF a douche,
il will serve fairly well TO stand in a tub
or basin filed TO six inches deep with
the coolest water at command. The
warm reaction is essential.
In this matter OF colds an ounce OF
prevention Is worth at least a pound Of
cure, rs in other ailments. One who
win tougher himself as / have indicated
need not often ask, -How shall / cure
my coldSr for he will have already said
to himself, First don't catch your
cold."-Titus Munson Coan, NJ. d., in
Harper's Bazaar.
Alteration Of tho Washington Mask.
A sad enough instance OF the form
which horo worship took a hundred