Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1899-03-22
COLDS CAUSED BY MICROBES.

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Dacteriolo.sistS.
Bactcriology has at last divulgetl tho
cause Of the greatest of all medical
mysteres-the ordinary cold. 1t has
been attributed to all causes--air. mois-
ture, too much cold air, overheating
and, recently, to the stomach and over
eating. The laboratory where the
microbes are caught, cultivated and
tanned like little beasts for several years
has been trying to identify the germs
of "colds," as colds seemed TO lead to
many diseases that have well-l<nown
germs. The first discovery was that in
colds there are several varieties Of
that produce the same results.
Germs look altogether different un-
der the microscope and in the culture
tubes, where the microbes are bred,
after they have been identified and sep
arated from others by being shared
(from the common feeding ground Of
all sorts of bacteria) with platinum
needle. Then to make certain that the
real microJe in given disease is found
the germs must be injected into a rab-
bi: Or guinea pig Tor some dispensary
patient) to see if the same disease will
appear. Microbes which cause colds
are always in the body or in the air.
There are 90 different forms of bac-
terra constantly present in the nose, in
Guiding nine or ten which are danger
Gus under certain circumstances.
There are 80 forms of germs in the
mouth, 40 OF which may cause serious
disease.
Everyone knows that colds are asu-
ally caught by getting oneself overheat-
ed and cooling Oft suddenly. When
the surface Of the body is overneated
all the microbes in the air seem to be at
tracteel to the body, especially if the air
around Is chilly or damp; microbes cam
not be killed by cold or damp, but they
do not like it and are always on the
"atch to find resting place in man,
especially in one who is overheated and
| whose skin is covered with perspira-
| ton. Ii the nose is always in u condi-
tion of 'cutarrh" it is easy to see how q
| fresh cold or acute attack of catarrh
| is caused by exposure to chill. But
Low about the various symptoms in
which generally follow cold?
When the body is oyerheated and
then CHILLED the Immediate effect of TIE
| cold on the surface OF the body is to ex-
| cite contraction OF the blood vesss} Is
! near the surface. Thus the blood IS
| driven from the surface to the inner or
! gans, carrying along with it any mi-
| efcbes that may have been lodged near
| the surface. This eXcites inHlmma-
ton i'll some organ far away from the
| first point affected. The way it seems
TO act is as follows:
All processes going on In the body are
governed by the central nervous sys-
| TEN. If, as (; result Of exposure to cold,
the regular routine Of nutrition and of
| circulation is checked in one part Of
the body, the nervous force sent ou:
! from the central nervous system if snut t
Off in one place will be increased in an
other. Such Increase is really inham-
nation. If any organ is liable to chron-
| ic inflammation this will be the place
| picked out for the acute trouble as re-
suit of having caught cold. All the un-
employed microbes will collect there
unu unemployed microbes in q slight
ly inflanled organ are certain to make
trouble. There is, however, one safe
guard which saves the body from de-
struction every time u cold is caught.
There is In the body n set of yalu-
able street-s"eelers who do in the
blood vessels and tissues exactly the
work of the street-cleaning depart
|
puscles, or leucoeytes. They differ
from Col. Warnings white brigade In
that they eat up the debris, the mi.
crobes and such things wherever they
find them. Tie more germs and bac-
terra collected together in one organ the
more the white corpuscles swarm in
just like the regular street-sweepers il
the dirty downtown districts.
If these white blood corpuscles are
caught while at their work their round
bodies may be found filled up with the
bacteria they have eaten. In case OF
sudden emergencies QilSe pneumonia
all immense swarm of white corpusc!es
Will suddenly appear.
There are all sorts of ways of treat
ing an Inflammation in an organ
Many are as familiar 70 the public as to
the doctors. The old-fashioned porous
or mustard plaster is simply a means to
collect quickly a largernumbero of white
blood cells in the places where they are
needed. The same is true of all hot ap-
plications, blisters, painting with iodine
or red flannel rags.
The new idea Of q cold, then, is that
it is a nervous disease, which, to do any
serious harm. has to work through the
microbes, which are always present in
the body or in the outer passages wait
ing for chance to make trouble. The
best way to prevent colds is to keep all
parts of the body properly clad and
free from any undue exposure, for it is
the disturbance of the balance Of cir
culation and the nervous control of the
blood vessels that really causes the
trouble.
If the feet and the nose and the
mouth are kept in good condition the
chances are against the microbes do
} ing much damage, for it is the chilling
Of these parts that causes most Of the
eolds.-N. Y. Press.