The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-14
CATCHING COLD.
How You May Avoid Much Sickness
and Distress.

| Every physician knows that certain
| surface areas of the human body are
peculiarly susceptible to cold. These
| are described as the "cold spots" and
are principally the lower part of the
| back of the head, the front of the alb
| domen, the shins and the small of the
| back.
Prolonged sitting on a stone, or even
on the damp grass, is a fertile source
| Of disease while every child knows
| from repeated parental admonitions
| that wet feet pave the way to death.
To the average man the steady play
of current of cold air upon the back
of the neck from behind brings with it
sense of impending disaster. The
| necessity of keeping the abdomen
| warmly clad is also generally recog-
niZed, but, curiously enough, few peo-
pie are conscious of the danger they
| run by exposing the usually protected
shins to currents of cold air.
The real cause assigned by doctors
for catching cold" is that when a cur
rent of cold air strikes a certain part
of the body it contracts the small arte-
| ries which end in the skin of the af-
fected part, thus decreasing the blood
supply in that part of the body. This
causes a congestion, with the result
that the vitality of the tissues is low
cred and is therefore less able to cope
with the various bacilli which may
come in contact with it. In this man
ner disease begins as an effect of
catching cold"
1t does not, of course, follow that,
because certain areas are peculiarly
susceptible to cold, a chill may not be
conveyed to the nervous system from
other points. The sensation of cold is
produced by reflex action, due to the
| irritation of the surface blood vessels.
| This reflection may, of course, dissent
nate through every part of the body
| contracting the small arteries and thus
| causing a congestion of the lung or
| liver, or the mucous membrane of the
| nose or throat.
Congestion of the internal organs as
a result of the gorging of these organs
| with blood very easily passes into in
| flammation. This Inflammation of the
parts inside the body is really the So
| called cold" When this infiamma-
ton attacks the mucous membranes of
the head or throat cold in the head
fammation settles in the intestines, the
cold" assumes the form of diarrhoea-
| In fact, the common summer diarrhoea
| is far more often due to chill of the
surface leading to intestinal inflam-
nation than to the fruits eaten in that
season, which are SO often blamed for
| it. Hence the necessity Of keeping the
| abdomen warmly clothed.
L
cold" from settling in the kidneys and
liver, the small of the back should also
be well protected. This Is an area OF
the body against which medical men
| charge up the beginning of many colds
| The best preventive of cold in the
kidneys and intestinal parts is to wear
when exposed to sudden changes Of
| temperature a wooden or at least
cotton garment over the abdomen and
trunk of the body. Linen is not to be
worn. 1t permits every change in the
| external temperature to act at once up
| on the skin. OF course the thing to be
done after unavoidable exposure to cold
or wet is to maintain the cutaneous
| circulation.
In healthy persons a temporary ex-
| posture to cold, as a plunge in bath.
is good, since in them the sudden con-
| traction of the cutaneous arteries soon
| passes off, and is succeeded by di-
| lation, causing a warm, healthy glow
| on the surface. If the bather remains
too long in cold water, however, this
reaction passes off, and is succeeded by
| more persistent chilliness of the sur
face, which may last all day. The bath
should, therefore, be left before this
| occurs.
| A strong and healthy person is, Of
course, much less susceptible to
catching cold" than person of weak
er organism.
| Take care of your circulation. That
| is the great principle which they who
would avoid colds should bear in mind.
Keep 1t up in all parts of your body
and you will live long and be happy
not having your days cut short by
pneumonia
| 1t is mistake to suppose that steady
exposure to cold will necessarily pro-
duce hardihood. 1t is better calculated
| to produce chills. The best condition
in which to face the cold is with a gen.
ial warmth pervading the whole body.
Thus q man who has warmed himself
before good fire is well prepared for
the winter air, provided he is not in a
perspiration.
| In seeking to keep warm by, clothing
care should be taken not to induce ex-
cessive perspiration. II flannels do
this, cotton will be found more whole