, 1888-12-05
CAUSES OF COLDS.
SOME EXPLANATIONS GIVEN BY
WELL KNOWN PHYSICIANS.

More Or Less to Blame In the Matter.
Other Causes.
do you think that the vile smells ema-
uating from the torn up streets nave any.
thing to do with the prevalence OF coldsT"
asked the reporter OF DR.. Lewis A Sayre.
Most unquestionRbly 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 1t becomes more easily affected,
not only by climatic changes, but by all
diseases. The strong man may throw off
disease, but the weak one has to go I'M
der. l 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 daily rounds
as a physician pass through whole blocks
Of this detestably vitiRted atmosphere,
and | cannot wonder that the people of
the neighborhood are Ill"
do you think that the smoking Of
cigarettes makes one more liable to con
tract coldY
"Yes. The smoke fsoa Che stuff that
is put into cigarettes i~ftates 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
u WIG ono anu 30 NhTleu InnL IL Is lmDOS-
sible now to enter into q detailed discus
sion. | 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 have recently experienced and to the
foul steuches that beset US from the torn
up streets"
at is news to me that colds are so
prevalent, /" aaid DR.. Anthony R%uppauer,
| tho Ya~t -hya,,tOY. ,rH,tt,l n-N I i. al
a 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 tho mucous
membrane, n 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. II is washed on either side by O
mighty river, and a pure ocean breeze
blows over 1t continually. But II it were
not for this splendid situation it would
be the unhenlthiest city in the world, for
the municipal government seems to DO
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
arate times In as many months, and each
time we have been assaulted by the same
disgusting mt poisonous odors.
Another thing that develops and ag-
gravates these throat troubles Is smoking.
And it doesn't max any difference II tho
tobacco ID the best, 1t has i'll effects, not
so much as poor tobacco or the contempt
lble cigarette, but 1t is bad enough. Now
you or any other gentleman can make IN
experiment for yourself. When you get
up some morning sit before your mirror
and look into you throat. You will find
that 1t is the color of boiled salmon, which
is natural. Then smoke q cigar for five
minutes. 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 the appear
ance of raw beef. In that condition it Is
susceptible to climatic changes. There
fore, as q health move l would do away
with both the vile gases of the streets
and smoking, but especially with the for
mer. Their existence Is a menace to the
public health"
DR. r. s. Robertson was SO i'll with n
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
DR.. Ruppauer concerning tho effect of the
gases from the streets and the habit of
cigarette smoking on producing colds and
throat troubles. He said that two years
ago when tho streets were being opened
he had twenty-seven cases of liberated
sore throat at one time in the Broadway
hotels between Twenty third and Forty
second streets. 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, a condition that he attributed
wholly to the miasmac condition of the
atmosphere In such neighborhoods.
u there are other influences that
must be considered, " he continued. In
the first place, we live here on an island
and in a continually damp atmosphere.
As a result, we are afflicted with catarrhal
troubles. New York has 90 per cent. moro
cases OF catarrh than any city In the would
except Boston. Now his catarrhal con-
dition is so susceptible to climatic infu-
ence that any little change in the weather
brings on Il cold in some shape.
Another very important factor in this
matter Is the carelessness of people in
dressing themselves. A man comes home
from business at night, throws off a heavy
suit Of clothes, jumps into full dress,
although the temperature has fallen 20
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
OF the theatre and remove their wraps 30
that the audience may nave q full
view OF their splendor as they prom
enade down the aisle. Meantime,
they are in a chilling %draught.
Between the acts tho man comes out and
stands about smoking a cigarette or else
he runs across tho street to get a drink.
After the theatre 1t is n little supper at
D~elmonico's, where they rave to wait in a
draught half an hour for a table. Then
they will probably sit by q half open win
dow. The neNt morning they wonder how
they could have caught cold and grumble
at the doctors fee, Half my patients
caught cold in just that way, n in
fact must confess that my own severe
hoarseness is due to just that cause.
But colds are caught in a thousand
ways. such as walking fast and stopping to
talk a few minutes, overheated rooms,
~dr9ughty cars and so on ad intinitum. Most
colds come from the open pores of the skin
being suddenly closed and the blood being
thus driven from a surface or skin circu-
lation to the lungs. In other words, cold
l.