The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-05-17
Hsw ONE CATCHES COLD.
A compiaint In which an Ounce ofPrsven-
tLsn Ii Worth Pounds of Cure.

Complaint In Which an Ounce ofPreyen-
tisn In Worth Pounds of Cure.
Tho winter and early spring are justly
dreaded by elderly people and those Of weak
frame on account Of q variety Of ills which
are commonly grouped under the title OF
"a cold" OF course there is no such thing
as catching cold"
The term is used to describe a local con
gestion, which may run on to Inflammation
or fever, and might therefore be more apt
ly described as catching hot"
But the good old name describes the ulti-
mate cause and Is therefore well chosen 1t
is singular that more is known of appar-
emily obscure diseases-cholera, tuberculo-
sis, even cancer or leprosy-than Is known
of the everyday ills which are grouped un-
der the general title. Briefly, It is known
that n local chill is reflected by an internal
congestion-that Is, that the chilling and
consequent contraction Of the blood supply
OF one particular section of the body may
be followed by a congestion or engorge-
ment with blood of some other section not
necessarily directly connected with the ex-
posed part. How or why this occurs physi-
ologists are yet in doubt That it does &C
cur every one knows
The results of engagement with blood Of
any particular organ are generally under
stood. Muscular rheumatism occurs when
the muscles are attacked, bronchitis when
1t falls upon the delicate membrane of the
bronchial tubes, and more serious maladies
when IL attacks more vital organs. The
cold settled" is the old fashioned term on
this or that vital organ, and it aptly de
scribes the condition. OF course there must
be some physical reason for such selection
but the causes are so obscure, except in q
most general manner, the doctors are una
BILE to assign them.
Congestion of any organ may result in
several ways. Sometimes it subsidies slow
ly or quickly, as the case may be. Some
times it continues and forms what is known
as chronic case, with permanent dilatio1
of the blood vessels supplying the parts
affected, Occasionally the congestion is sc
severe that the circulation is cut off, the
part dies, choked to death By its own over
supply, and must be cast off by process
which is known as inflammation. In any
case the process is painful and often dan
gerous.
These few facts, which are we'll estab
| lisbcd, are about all that is definitely known
OF the phenomena known as catching
cold" Why OF two men similarly exposed
one should die in week and the other sur
fer no harm is one of those apparently in
scrutGble mysteries which some future gen
Grafton will have to solve The moral. how
ever, is obvious. tbs to avoid catching cold
by avoiding local exposure-to maintain
the body in such high state of health that
congestion, II brought on, will result only
/ in temporary and comparatively trivial sui
| fering, and SO TO take care of even a slight
congestion that it will not run on to thu
danger which occasionally results from
catching cold" The ounce of prevention
is worth many pounds of cure, and In
changeable, disagreeablc weather there /.
no better maxim that can be kept in mind
than the old one, Keep your feet warm
your head cool. Philadelphia Ledger.