The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-07
Stealth.
HOW NOT TO CATCH COLD.
BY TITUS MUNsoN coAN, NJ. D.


local applications, cutting short the COM
plant at the outset, or chasing it up after
it has got the start Of you-all these plans
may be tried, and sometimes they sue
coed very nicely But the trouble is that
cold is law unto itself, self-limited
disease, like any other inhammatory
fever, and the chances are that il the cold
has even six hours the start of you, it will
run faster than the spryest doctor. So
will say nothing here about curing colds,
but will be reasonable enough to point
out way that is little known of prevent
ing them.
What is the cause of cold? 1t is usu-
ally the effect OF cool draught upon q
limited part OF the body, or of a lowered
temperature even where, as in the case of
the feet, the air does not directly reach
the part that is exposed to danger The
protected parts Of the body are naturally
the most sensitive, and it is through
these chat we catch cold. And of all
other parts, the feet, especially in the
case OF the sedentary, are the most FREE
quent avenues of approach for this COM
plant.
The artificial tenderness of the skin
which is the lot of civilized man, causes
all of us to be more or less liable to an
ailment which is comparatively unknown
to those inhabitants of warm climates
who take no interest in the fashions, and
who have only heard from the MISSIONS
ries that clothes are good thing.
But We cannot return to such prim-
tive immunity as this. What shall we
do meanwhile, if we would tougher our
selves against the artificial tenderness
that makes life during our cold winters for
many of us grave discomfort, and one
that is coupled with the risk Of pneumo-
mia and of other serious illnesses? The
question is, how to cure the excessive
constituencies of the skin? General cold
baths will do for the healthy, but they
will not do for all; and indeed almost any
one, strong or delicate, will be the better
for the treatment that will describe.
1t is a cold foot bath of two or three
minutes, more or less, according to the
time required to make q smart impress
sion upon the superficial nerves; this is
the one thing needful in this matter. In
the winter the water as it runs from the
faucet will generally be cold enough for
the needed effect, if, as in New York, it
flows at temperature Of from fifty to
sixty deg Fair. But it may we'll be
colder than this; and in summer, using
ice to cool the foot-bath, there will be no
harm in bringing it down to forty deg.
The point is to make a decided impress
sion of cold, and few minutes will do
this. Let the feet stay in the water or
under the jet until the very bones ache;
then rub them with crash towel, and
wrap them up warmly, and it will not be
more than minute as rule, before the
delightful warm glow of the reaction. Sell
dom, even in the case of the most delicate
persons, does this glow fail to come. The
advantage OF this treatment is that it is
not severe, as the cold bath is for many.
The amount of surface exposed to the
cold is SO small that very little draft is
made upon the system; and the person
who would never have reaction after a
cold bath is easily able to profit by this
local treatment. OF course no bath
must be used without regard to times
and seasons; but the fear which some
delicate persons have of this treatm emit
is unfounded, for the cor Institution rarely
fails to honor so light demand upon it
as that which is made by cold foot bath
of two or three minutes. If the begin
ner Id very timid, its duration may be
even less than this at the start, or until
the experimenter finds out what safe
yet potent remedy is in hand.
What is the effect of this simple tire at
ment? 1t gives the feet power to resist
cold; it toughens them, not exteriorly,
but in the tonic quality Of their superb
cial nerves. And it accomplishes this re.
suit with wonderful quickness. have
known delicate ladies who complained
that their feet were never warm, and who
were subject to frequent colds, restored
to their pristine birthright of warm feet
after two or three trials of this treatment,
and after week OF it well fortified
against draughts, at least upon their feet.
A lady patient of mine, though otherwise
quite healthy, was so liable to catch Sc
we're cold on the slightest exposure Of
her feet to the drsuRhts of the floor that
she always managed to perch them upon
the rungs of her chair, or otherwise to
curl them up under her in some way out
Of the reach of the air current, fearing
even the draught of an August day in
her country house. She let them down
to the ground with secure temerity after
the second trial Of the foot. bath; and
since that time, renewing the treatment
two or three times week, she has never
caught cold. 1 mention her case not be.
cause it is exceptional, but because it is
typical. She suffered as thousands of
others suffer. In the whole range of n.y.
giene know OF no simpler and more ef-
icacious treatment than the cold foot
bath. 1t will make the feet permanently
warm, and it will prevent large proper
ton of all colds, because considerably
more than half of all are the result of