Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-01-06
TALKS WITH A DOCTOR.
Pertinent and Practical Suggestions
about Colds.

AVOID ScRUPuLousLY WET FEET, Elk.
POSTURE AND TAKING CHILL-PRoMPT
REMEDIES PREVENT A CoLD-QUININE
TIE BEST. But IT SHOULD Nor BE,TAK.
EN- REGULARLY.
The old legend says that, Constantine was
converted to Christianity by the appear
ance of flaming cross in the sky at noon
day, with the motto, '1n hoe signo vinces."
If it would be means of converting the
world, or even part of the world, to more
prudence and common sense, would very
much like to pre-empt section of ''the
spacious armament on high" some dark
night in the fall, and there bazon forth in
grand illumination the sign of a pair of
overshoes, with the words, "Keep your feet
dry"
As people we care too much for the
neat, shapely foot, and to attain that end
we wear shoes entirely too thin. The ef
feet of this custom is twofold. 1t breeds
an immense amount of misery in the way
of ''coughs, colds, hoarseness and sore
throats," influenza, catsrrb, neuralgia,
rheumatism, ETC., not to mention that swift
slayer, pneumonia, and secood, it's effect is
to help fatten the DOCTORS pocket book.
I am not writing an advertisement for the
manufacturers of overshoes, but at the
same time this article of apparel Is too
much neglected. To be sure. with the ut
most care, exposure is sometimes unavo;d.
able. 1t 80 often happens that the over.
shoes and overcoat and umbrella are in ex.
actly the wrong place when the storm
comes, but in case of these exposures much
of the misery which is apt to follow might
be avoided by little extra care after we
reach home.
ABOUT WET FEET.
In the case of wet feet and a general
soaking, when you feel the attack Of cold
creeping over you, on reaching home take
off your wet clothes, take hot bath and
give yourself a thorough rubbing. In ex-
treme cases put mustard in the water, or
follow up the bath with thorough rubbing
with water and alcohol mixed half and
half
If you feel that you have taken cold, es
pecially if it be at night, take good, thor
ough drink of hot boneset tea, and 20 to
bed and cover yourself up warm. It may
possibly cost you the evening, but it pays
in the end, and you will be ready to ao.
knowledge it the next day. The hard rub.
bling especially is essential, as it is almost
sure to prevent that soreness and aching of
the bones the next morning.
One of the most frequent effects OF ex-
posure to cold and wet is cold in the head.
If taken in time this is easily avoided BY o
heroic dose Of quinine. Don't make the
mistake of taking quinine in small doses,
two or three grains at intervals. If you
wish to cure cold with quinine, take one
large dose, and only one In the case of
an ordinarily strong adult would not hest.
tate to give twelve grains at one dose.
Take it on going to bed at night, and you
will sleep through all the buzzing in the
head, and the gen eral uncomfortable feel
ing that attends the taking of it in the day.
time.
CURING COLDS.
If the cold is deeper set and affects the
throat and bronchials the most effective
remedy can advise is as follows: Mix to
gether an ounce of graduated muriate of
ammonia and half an ounce of powdered
cubebs. Put a teaspoonful Of this mixture
Ia bowl and pour on about half pint of
hot water. Stir IL up well aud then let it
settle. Begin taking this while it is hot, q
swallow every half hour, and continue tax
ing (even after it is cold) for several hours.
In the case of all colds it Is very impor.
tsnt that the bowels be kept open. Any
gentle laxative can be used, preferably com.
pound ncOr1ce powder.
If all colds made themselves manifest in
the same way it would be comparatively
easy matter to treat them; but no two colds
act in the same way, and no two people are
affected in exactly the same way. Decid-
eddy the cold that is especially disagreeable
ia the one that shows itself in a feverish
condition-the hot, tight headache and the
d., lot, creeping sensation of the skin.
Where these symptoms occur, sif it is
possible for you to keep yourself indoors
and out of drafts and so on, tincture of
aconite will remove the Gisagreeable condi-
tions. I advise the homeopathic tincture
of aoonite. Add ten drops to half glass
full Of water, and take mouthful every
half hour until the sensation of dryness of
the skin has passed away. The effect of
sconite is to open the pores, and too much
care cannot be used to avoid exposure to
drafts and the consequent taking of more
cold.
CURE FOR EARACHE.
In the case of children earache ia an espe.
cially disagreesble effect of exposure and
Is easily cured by very simple remedy.
Take bit of cotton, soak it in sweet oil or
glycerine, sprinkle black pepper over il, in
sert it in the ear and keep the child in
where it is warm for few hours and the
trouble will soon be over. Another old
fashioned but excellent remedy for earache
10 to boil an onion, remove the outer layers
until only the little smooth core of the on.
ION remains, and insert it in the ear as
warm as the child can bear it.
And just here let me say that earache,
sore throat, toothache in . great many