The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-25
HOW YOU CATCH COLD.
An Ounce of Prevention Worth Man.
Pounds of Cure

Pounds of Cure.
The winter and early spring are
Justly dreaded by elderly people and
those of weak frame on account of Il
variety of ills which are commonly
grouped under the title of "a cold" Of
course there is no such thing as ''catch-
ing cold" The term is used to describe
a local congestion, which may run on
10 inflammation or fever, and might,
therefore, be more aptly described as
catching hot" But the good old
name describes the ultimate cause, and
IS therefore well chosen. 1t is singu-
Ear that more is known of apparently
obscure diseases-cholera, tuberculosis,
even cancer or leprosy-than is known
of tie everyday ills which are grouped
under the general title. Briefly, it is
known that a local chill is-refected
by an internal congestion; that
IS, that the chilling and conse-
quent contraction of the blood
supply of one particular section of
the body may be followed by q conges-
sion or engagement with blood of
some other section not necessarily di-
rectly connected with the exposed
part How or why this occurs, phys
biologists are yet in doubt. That it
does occur everyone knows.
The results OF engagement with
blood of any particular organ are gen.
orally understood. Muscular rheuma-
tism occurs when the muscles are at
tackled, bronchitis w hen it falls upon
the delicate membrane of the bronchial
tubes, and more serious maladies
when it attacks more vital organs.
The "cold settled is the old fashioned
term on this or that vital organ and il
sptly describes the condition. OF
course there must be some physical
reason for such selection, but the
causes are so obscure that, except in a
most general manner, the doctors are
unable TO assign them.
Congestion of any organ may result
in several ways. Sometimes it sub
sides, slowly or quickly as the case
may be. Sometimes it continues and
forms what is known as chronic case,
with permanent dilation of the blood
vessels supplying the parts affected.
Occasionally the congestion is so
severe that the circulation is
cut OFF, the part dies, checked to death
by its own over supply, and must be
cast off by n process which is known as
inflammation. In any case the process
Us painful and often dangerous.
These few facts, which are well es-
Established, are about all that is definite
ly known of the phenomena known az
Catching cold" Why of two men SIM
hlarly exposed one should die in a week
and the ether su fer no harm is one of
Ithose apparently inscrutable mysteries
which some future generation will have
to solve. The moral, however, is obliv-
fous 1t is to avoid catching cold by
avoiding local eXposure-to maintain
tthe body in such high state of health
fhat congestion, if brought on, viii
result only in temporary and co mpara-
tively trivial suffering. and so to take
care of even a slight congestion that..it
will not run on to the danger which oc-
casienally results from catching cold"
The ounce of prevention is worth MANY
pounds of cure, and in changeable.
disagreeable weather there is no better
maxim that can be kept IN mind than
the old one: Keep your feet warm,
your head cool Ledger.