Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-02
Colds and Their Treatment.

Colds so often appear without any
apparent cause that it is certainly a
satisfaction when we know lust where
they come from, if only to avoid their
| recurrence from the same cause
This cause, however, is often a difficult
thing to discover! The best authorities
tell us that they come from variety
of totally different causes: a period of
warm weather in the midst of cold
weather is more often fruitful of colds
than bitterest blasts. Sometimes an
entire family or an entire community
including infants and grayhaired peo-
pie, will be attacked with colds, which
seem to have nothing to do with the
weather. 1t is a well known fact that
persons making a sudden change from
a cold climate to warmer one suffer
from 'acclimatious colds" which are
similar to other colds and yield to the
same remedies.
All this shows that those who are
most carefully protected do not escape
colds. This indisposton is of more
frequent occurrence in the houses Of
persons who labor especially to protect
themselves from draughts. II has been
explained on the theory that colds in
such cases We're due to a deteriorated
condition, brought about by close. i'm.
pure air, which rendered the system
unable to withstand the shock of the
change when pure air was admitted.
This theory seems sustained by facts
Children who play out doors in all
Weathers. though often poorly clothed,
suffer comparatively little from colds,
,1I,r
often ILL., Some physicians seem to
think that those persons who feed most
generously suffer more from colds than
those who eat less, and that meat-eat
els suffer more in this way than vege
tarians. This would probably be a
matter on which doctors would dis
agree.
How ever satisfactory it may be to
know whore a cold comes from. it is
clearly impossible in the majority Of
cases to tell. \ more important mat
ter is to know just how to treat il. 1t
is not often necessary 10 summon a
doctor The best physicians are spar
ing of remedies in such cases, and us
ually allow nature to take the case IN
her hands. The remedies are those
which correct the malariai condition
which accompanies a cold. Thesa
remedies are followed by a slight tonic
treatment. IT is necessary to keep in
the house in WelI-Ventilatrd rooms of
;e .,,,,,,ra,ura during surb
ul'ii'li III
treatment.
At the beginning n cold may usually be
broken up by warm drinks administered
so as to induce perspiration. Quinine and
a gentle laxative are also good. OF all
laXativcs for grown persons ar for chill
Clren. castor oil is the safest to give in
case of cold. Take This medicine AT
night If the cold is Il fcTerish one. soak
the feet in Il footbath in which u table
spoonful of mustard has been dissolved.
The patient should be we'll covered during
this footbath and should be put into a
well-warnled bed with hot bottles at the
feet ana against the chest or any portion
of the body where the cold seems to have
settled Abundance of blankets and If
possible a down comfortable must be used
for covering So as to induce a heavy per-
spiration
When this result has once been attained
the main work of cure is done. Sleep
and rest will do the rest. The sufferer,
man woman or child must he kept
within doors ut least three days and given
nOurishng food and the slight tonic
spoken of This is often the most diff
doors At once, This is always danger