Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-16
CAUSES OF COLDS.
SOME EXPLANATIONS GIVEN BY
WELL KNOWN PHYSICIANS.

Other Causes.
DO you think that the vile smells ema
mating from the torn up streets have any
thing to do with the prevalence of colds?"
asked the reporter of DR.. Lewis A. Sayre
Most unquestionably l do. Those
gases of which you speak are very poison
Gus, They attack and weaken the system
of any one that breathes them to such an
extent that it becomes more easily affected,
not only by climatic changes, but by all
diseases. The strong man may throw of
disease, but the weak one has to so un.
der. | consider it an outrage that the
citizens of this city have to be subjected
to the dangers resulting from breathing
such an atmosphere. In my daay rounds
as a physician | pass through whole blocks
of this detestably vitiated atmosphere,
and | cannot wonder that the people of
the neighborhood are i'll"
"Do you think that the smoking of
cigarettes makes one more liable to con
tract cold2
Eyes. The smoke from the stuff that
is put into cigarettes irritates the mucous
membrane of the bronchial tubes until they
become inflamed, and in that condition
they are more susceptible to the attacks
of cold. But the subject of colds is such
a wide n and so varied that it is impos-
sible now to enter into q detailed discus
sion. l think that you may safely put
down the remarkable prevalence of the
many troubles that are classed as colds to
the extraordinary climatic changes that
we "aye recently experienced and to the
fo1- stenches that beset US from the torn
up streets"
1T is news to me that colds are so
prevalent aaid Dr.. Anthony Rnppauer,
the next physician visited. But | do find
q prevalence of bronchial troubles which
are often mistaken for colds, such as
bronchial catarrh, bronchitis, tonsilitis,
pharyngitis, ~laryngitis, and all such
troubles that are commonly denominated
colds. They are in reality the natural
results of breathing the abominable gases
that arise continually from our streets,
The solid particles in these noisome va
pors continually strike on the mucous
membrane, and finally cut it away. This
produces violent Inflammation, and in
that condition one becomes thoroughly
susceptible to climatic changes. | regard
New York as the healthiest city in the
world on account of it's magnificent situa-.
ton. 1t is washed on either side by q
mighty river, and a pure ocean breeze
blows over it continually. But if it were
not for this splendid situation it would
be the unhealthiest city in the world, for.
the municipal government seems to be
doing all in its power to achieve that end.
Why, the street here in front of my office
has been dug up and repaved four sep.
I arate times in as many months, and each
time we have been assailed by the same
disgusting and poisonous odors.
Another thing that develops and ag
gravates these throat troubles is smoking.
And it doesn't make any difference if tho
tobacco is the best, 1t has i'll effects, not
SO much as poor tobacco or the contempt
ible cigarette, but it is bad enough. Now
you or any other gentleman can make an
experiment for yourself. When you get
up some morning sit before your mirror
and look into your throat. You will lind
that it is the color of boiled salmon, which
is natural. Then smoke u cigar for FIVE
ninutes, and look again. You will find
that the salmon color has given place to a
deep red. Smoke for fifty minutes and
you will find your throat has tho appear
ance of raw beef. In that condition it is
susceptible to climatic changes. There
fore, as a health move, / would do away
with both the vile gases of tho streets
and smoking, but especially with the for.
mer, Their existence is a menace to, the
public health"
De. Z. S. Robertson was SO i'll with a
cold that he could scarcely speak when
the reporter called, but the subject pleased
him and he talked on it with much free
dom. He agreed fully with DR.. Sayre and
DIR. Ruppauer concerning the effect of the
gases from the streets and the habit ci
cigarette smoking on producing colds and
throat troubles he said that two years
ago when the streets were being opened
he had twenty-seven cases of liberated
sore throat Mt n time in the Broadway
hotels between Twenty-third and Forty
second strssts. He had observed since
that the people along the line of any
thoroughfare that was being disrupted
were subject to throat troubles, coughs
and colds, q condition that he attributed
wholly TIC the iniasmac condition of the
atmosphere in such neighborhoods.
But there are other influences that
naust be considered, /" he continued. in
the first place, we live here on an island
and in a continually damp atmosphere.
As q result, we areafiiicted with catarrhal
troubles. New York has 90 per cent. more
cases of caterrh than any city in the world
except Boston. Now this catarrhal con
dition Is so susceptible to climatic inhu
ence that any little change in the weather
brings on a cold in some shape.
Another very important factor in this
matter is the carelessness of people In
dressing themselves. A man comes home
Z from business as night, throws off a heavy
snit of clothes, jumps into full dress,
although the temperature has fallen q
dogs, and starts for the theatre. His
wife rigs out in some fanciful costume
that does not keep her half warm and &C
companies him. They stop in the lobby