The Portland daily press., 1888-01-14
COLDS.
Interesting Remarks on Their NeF-
vous Origin.
chambers Journal ]

[Chambers JOurnaLl
Undue exposure to cold and damp 10 the
only source Of colds OF catarrhs, In the limit
ed estimation Of popular opinion; and when
It has provided stout boots, comfortable
wraps, servicable umbrella. and mackin-
tosh. that authority has furnished fully
equipped weapon to beat off the unwelcome
domestic complaint. When, as often hap
pens, cold Is contracted in spite Of these
unimpeachable precautions. popular opin-
ion is puzzled beyond measure how to ac-
count for the remarkable circumstance.
Cold, however. is not the only factor In
the production Of catarrh. There Is a col
lateral cause, and aR0stlmportant one, In
certain depressed condition Of the nervous
system, provided reasonable precautions are
taken against cold. there Is enough vitality
in the organism to resist its injurious infu-
ence. The nervous system Is, in fact, the
guardian, controller, and prime regulator Of
animal heat or body temperature, and its
slightest failure 10 fulfil Its responsible du-
ties-the least relaxation Of its constant yigi-
lance-renders us liable to fall prey to cold.
The following supp0sitlous cases will al
ford an illustration. An individual who hab-
itually drives about In an open conveyance
with perfect freedom from catarrh. happens
on one occasion To fall asleep when he Is out
aud the very next day has cold. The expla-
nation of the phenomenon Is TO be found In
the fact that during sleep nervous energy Is
lowered, and the system therefore less able
to withstand the injurious effects OF the cold.
If we assume that the individual was also In
a state Of intUxieatiOn at the time. the dam
age done by cold would be more serious. as
the depression from alcohol is suprradded TO
that OF sleep. 1t Is, therefore, not surpris-
ing to find that Inflammation Of the lungs IS
frequently contracted under such circumstan
ees. We instinctively acknowledge the ner-
vous depression during sleep, by taking the
precautiOn TO throw rug over the knees
before our forty winks ON the dining-room
sofa.
pale and CHASTITY with fright, having eneoun-
tered a spectre clad In white, which she calls
a "ghOst." In day or two she devel0pes a
cold, for which she cannot In any way ac-
count. Fear acts as a depressant 10 the ner-
tSs xoss ' phsse Si
ing with fear" Similarly, innumerable
events of daily life tend TO irritate, depress,
or excite the nerves, and render them unit
for maintaining the body temperature
against the fluctuations OF weather and eli
mate. During those unguaTded moments a
trlfing exposure to cold or damp Is sufficient
to induce catarrh. IL Is desirable, therefore,
that it should be generally known that stout
boots, umbrellas and wraps, though excel
lent preservatives in their way, are not by
any means the only precautionary methods
to be adopted; that we must endeayor TO
strengthen the nervous system II II be defect
i've; and that when we are compelled to ex-
pose ourselves to cold and wet when the
nerves are depressed from temporary causes,
such as fatigue, anxiety, grief, worry, fear,
dyspepsia. or ill-hnmor, we should be spec
tally careful to guard against cold.
Letus now dissect the morbid condition
known as catarrh, and verify, 4 we can, the
theory of It's nervous origin What Is cold?
To answer this question we must first ex-
pain what is meant by animal heat Man Is
what Is known as warm-blOOded animal,
that Is, he possesses the capacity under all
circumstances Of maintaining an average
the frost-bOund Arctic regions OF In the
burning deserts OF Central Africa. the heat Of
the blood is the same. In sumner and win
tel alike az we except, perhaps, some a0nOr-
NAL states Of the body due 10 the exeitation
or depression Of the vital processes In vari-
Gus diseaseS, the average temperature OF the
human body Is gS.4o Fahrenheit. Now, this
is a remarkable TACT, as, In view OF the pecul-
lar source from which animal heat Is derived
namely, from the combustion OF usedup tis-
sue with the oxygen Of inspired air. IL stands
70 reason that the heat Of the blood cannot
geaiain constant for hve minutes together,
as with every movement OF our muscles we
add Goals to the human fire, and the regula-
a uniform temperature, would be an utter
impOssibility. How. then, Is the object
achieved? The superiuous heat Is disposed
of by eonduetion and radiation in the capt.
laries Of the skin, and by evaporation
through the sweat glands and air passages;
and when there Is no snperfuous heat TO dis
pose of, the skin contracts to prevent evap-
0ration Of moisture from the surface. Thus,
when we exert ourselves, there Is increased
waste Of tissue, and accordingly we both
pant and perspire. When we are cold, on
the other hand, the skin Is very far from be-
ing moist, and contracts, presenting what
we call the ''goose-skin" appearance. Now
these functions are under the immediate con-
troll of the nervous system. Cold acts on the
latter In such way that the vessels supply
ing the skin are CONSTRUCTED, and the flow OF
blood to the surface checked, loss Of heat by
conductiop, radiation. and evaporation being
thus prevented; while heat, on the other
hand, relaxes the blood-vessels and favors
the escape of heat from the body. IL will
thus be seen what an important part the ner-
yous system plays In the maintenance Of AMI
NAL heat.