The herald., 1898-05-08

Half the diseases that kill people origin
ate in simple colds. Everybody knows by
experience what a cold is, for everybody
takes cold. warm and genial climate is
not a safeguard. People take cold in Cali
fornia just as easily as they do in the east.
And dry winter, like the one just pass
ing, is more productive of evil in this re-
spect than winter with heavier rainfall.
In dry years there is a greater contrast
between sun and shade, day and night.
And people are more careless because they
enormously think that they are safer.
In it's simplest form a cold is disease,
which runs regular course and usually
terminates in about two weeks. In its more
severe results it ends in la grippe, influ-
enza, pneumonia and various forms of
fever, such as typhoid. Sometimes cold
arises simply from exposure, through a
chilling OF a portion of the body, a conse-
ouent congestion and interruption of the
circulation; then comes fever, which gives
rise to poisons in the system. the
patient is strong enough to throw these
poisons off there may be no serious per-
manent injury. If he is weak or predis-
posed to other diseases, the cold marks the
beginning of a more severe, often fatal
injury. Even II cured it leaves its mark
cold easier. After a little there is a de-
cided tendency, which ends in consumption
or some other virulent disorder.
Difficulty of Cure
Considering the prevalence of colds and
the long experience of physicians in treat
ing them one would naturally suppose that
they could be quickly and easily cured.
They could be ard would be if medicine
could fulfill its promises. But medicin
don't do anything of the kind. Everybody
who has ever had cold knows this. If
you take it right at the very start perhaps
a big dose of qunine or hot lemonade or
some other of the advertised cures may
bring relief But few people are smart
enough to take cold at the start 1t is
human nature to wait until it develops
hoping in the meantime that it will go
away itself. But it never does. When
pain begins to be felt, and there is head
ache, bones ache and fever, then heavy
doses of some powerful mineral remedy
are usually taken, and that settles the
question by making the trouble worse The
powerful drug causes more irritation and
|
with the cold aDd the medicine, too. The
cold then has to run its course" 1t may
settle in one part of the body, as in the
lungs, and cause intense Inflammation. Or
it may go all through the body ana cause
general depression and pains from head to
| foot. In either case nature requires time
to rally her forces and drive the maladv
| from the system. Sometimes nature is TOO
weak and then there is "quick consump-
tom or some other destructive disease.
Predisposition to Colds
Many people take cold very easily. They
are naturally of delicate constitutions or
else they are neglectful oftheir health. They
live too closely within doors, take too little
exercise and neglect the care of the skin,
which becomes unduly sensitive. Then a
very little exposure results in cold. An
improper diet is very common cause This
makes the blood impure, retards the vital
processes and clogs the system with i'm
purities which hinder the circulation The
result Is a depressed state of vitality and
n weakened nervous system. Consequent
ly the person takes a cold easily and gets
rid of it with difficulty. Every cold SO
taken makes the way easier for another,
until a slight change in the temperature
of room, a slight exposure to a draught
or trifing wetting brings on the per-
nicious result. There is only one way to
overcome this predisposition. The blood
must be purified, the circulation must be
duickened, the diet regulated, digestion as
sisted, the normal action of the skin re-
stored. Then the individual stands a
chance of resisting disease.
Atmospheric Influences
| Sometimes colds are epidemic. La
grippe and influenza travel In the atmos-
phere They are contagious, so that when
one member of a family is attacked all the
others are pretty certain to suffer. There
are millions Of germs of these diseases
| floating in the air. Climatic conditions
! beyond the control of man govern their de-
velopment. When these diseases are cpl
demic everybody breathes the germs. The
strong may escape without injury, because
| they cast the germs off at once. But those
who are weak, for any reason, or predis-
posed, fail to get rid of the germs If the
| person has already been frequent suffer-
| er from colds, or If he has catarrh or asth-
ma, then the germs find tissues, in the
| lungs and air passages which are irri-
| tated, congested or liberated These sur
| faces are favorable to their lodgment and
| development. They find a home and grow
| by millions. The result is influenza, la
| grippe, pneumonia, lung fever or some SIM
| liar disorder The weaker the person is
| the harder to dislodge these germs and to
prevent their continued development. Ii
his system is already debilitated or i'm
pure, he has hard struggle, which very
often ends in chronic disease or in death.
Simple Cases Aggravated by Improper
Treatment
In thousands of cases colds, which would
be trifing in their results If let alone, or If
treated in rational way, are converted
into critical disorders by incompetent and
improper treatment. Mistakes in diet
alone do great harm. Persons suffering
from even a slight cold should be extreme
ly careful of their diet The lighter this
is, the better. The portions of the food as
simulated into the blood for the nourish-
ment of the body are carried to the lungs
before they are taken to the other organs.
If they are of heavy or irritating, or too
stimulating character, they create greater
irritation where there is already too
much. Meat soups, in particular, tend to
clog the lungs. Powerful drugs and poi
liar effect. They create greater irritation
and fever. Whisky and other stimulants,
which are very often prescribed, are simply
adding fuel to fire. They cannot lessen
the Inflammation; they produce more in
tense Inflammation. The action of the
skin is impeded, and colds often settle in